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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. cap — a lid
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. file — a line of people
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. cap — a hat
  7. file — a tool
  8. bulb — for light
  9. land — ground
  10. land — to come down
  11. cue — a signal
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. cue — a hint
  14. cue — for pool
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bulb — for light
  18. file — a document
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. land — a country
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. cap — of ice
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bowl — to roll

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