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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. bulb — for light
  3. fall — to drop
  4. firm — a company
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. fork — in a road
  7. wind — moving air
  8. press — to push
  9. bulb — for light
  10. press — newspapers
  11. spring — a coil
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bank — for money
  15. fall — the season
  16. fall — to drop
  17. wind — moving air
  18. firm — steady
  19. firm — decided
  20. bank — of a river
  21. press — a publisher
  22. bank — for money
  23. spring — the season
  24. fork — to eat with

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