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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. cue — a signal
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. mine — for digging
  7. bulb — for light
  8. cue — for pool
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. bound — certain
  12. stand — to bear
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. ball — a dance
  15. cue — a hint
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. sharp — clever
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bound — obliged
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. ball — a great time
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. stand — for spectators

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