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 116 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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — a break
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. bulb — for light
  6. rest — what's left
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. rash — a series
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. saw — the tool
  11. tear — from crying
  12. tear — to rip
  13. tear — from crying
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. rash — hasty
  18. deal — to handle
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. bulb — for light
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. saw — the tool

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