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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. press — to push
  3. can — a tin
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. pound — a weight
  8. bulb — for light
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. can — a tin
  11. bulb — for light
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. chip — to eat
  20. press — a publisher
  21. can — to be able to
  22. press — newspapers
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. pound — to hit hard

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