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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. chair — a leader
  7. lean — thin
  8. fine — all right
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. lean — to bend
  11. bass — low music
  12. bass — the fish
  13. rash — a series
  14. bulb — for light
  15. deal — to handle
  16. band — a music group
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fine — high quality
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. band — a ring
  24. rash — hasty

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