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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. capital — a city
  4. object — to protest
  5. bulb — for light
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. can — a tin
  8. capital — money
  9. object — a thing
  10. degree — an amount
  11. can — to be able to
  12. degree — from a university
  13. can — a tin
  14. degree — temperature
  15. bass — the fish
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. stand — to bear
  21. object — an aim
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bass — low music

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