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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. chip — for betting
  4. key — in music
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. lean — to bend
  8. ground — a position
  9. mine — for digging
  10. ground — crushed
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. last — to go on
  13. key — the most important part
  14. ground — the earth
  15. last — final
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. key — for a lock
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. rush — hurry
  20. lean — thin
  21. last — finally
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. chip — to eat

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