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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bulb — for light
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. cold — not warm
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. charge — in control
  8. present — the time now
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. charge — a price
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. tube — the underground
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. present — a gift
  16. bulb — for light
  17. cold — an illness
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. present — there
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. tube — a container
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. charge — electricity
  24. mouse — for a computer

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