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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. bulb — for light
  3. spell — a short time
  4. cue — a signal
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. cue — for pool
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. cue — a hint
  9. object — a thing
  10. spring — a coil
  11. bulb — for light
  12. press — newspapers
  13. press — to push
  14. rock — a stone
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. spring — the season
  17. spring — of water
  18. press — a publisher
  19. spell — magic
  20. spell — letters
  21. rock — music
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. object — an aim
  24. mine — for digging

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