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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. bank — for money
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bulb — for light
  13. chair — a leader
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bank — for money
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. bank — of a river
  19. tube — the underground
  20. stem — to come from
  21. prune — to trim
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. tube — a container
  24. prune — to trim

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