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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. fall — to drop
  4. key — for a lock
  5. staff — employees
  6. key — in music
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bulb — for light
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. rash — a series
  11. saw — the tool
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bulb — for light
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. fall — to drop
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. staff — employees
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. rash — hasty
  22. key — the most important part
  23. staff — a stick
  24. leaves — of a tree

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