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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. date — the fruit
  3. bulb — for light
  4. tube — the underground
  5. bulb — for light
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. kick — in football
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — a tool
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — to handle
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. toast — bread
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. tube — a container
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. date — on the calendar

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