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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. spell — magic
  3. bulb — for light
  4. board — to get on
  5. swing — to play on
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. charge — in control
  8. roll — a list
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. swing — music
  11. spell — a short time
  12. fine — high quality
  13. kid — child
  14. charge — electricity
  15. roll — a cake
  16. charge — a price
  17. board — a committee
  18. bulb — for light
  19. spell — letters
  20. fine — all right
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. kid — to tease
  24. swing — in golf

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