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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. net — for catching
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. last — finally
  7. mark — a grade
  8. last — to go on
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. net — in sport
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. pitch — completely
  13. bear — the animal
  14. tube — a container
  15. bear — the animal
  16. mark — a trace
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. last — final
  19. wake — a trail
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. net — after costs
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. tube — the underground

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