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 120 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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. mine — for digging
  4. court — of law
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. court — of a king
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. court — for sport
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. wound — an injury
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. plane — a tool
  18. bulb — for light
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. dip — to sink
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. wave — with your hand

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