ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. can — a tin
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. clip — a video
  5. rest — what's left
  6. clip — for paper
  7. tube — a container
  8. key — the most important part
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. shower — to wash
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. can — a tin
  13. clip — to cut
  14. key — in music
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. tube — the underground
  17. shower — rain
  18. key — for a lock
  19. rest — what's left
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. bulb — for light
  22. can — to be able to
  23. rest — a break
  24. bulb — for light

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com