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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. season — in sport
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. season — of the year
  6. rock — a stone
  7. bulb — for light
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. bulb — for light
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. cue — a hint
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cue — for pool
  16. clip — for paper
  17. wound — an injury
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. clip — a video
  20. rock — music
  21. clip — to cut
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wake — before a funeral

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