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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. can — to be able to
  4. game — wild animals
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. mark — a grade
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. wake — a trail
  9. squash — the sport
  10. squash — to crush
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. can — a tin
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. chair — a leader
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. mark — a trace
  18. game — a match
  19. season — in sport
  20. can — a tin
  21. season — of the year
  22. bulb — for light
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. squash — the vegetable

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