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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. charge — electricity
  3. saw — the tool
  4. cue — for pool
  5. bound — tied together
  6. date — the fruit
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. spring — of water
  9. bound — certain
  10. charge — in control
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. saw — the tool
  14. cue — a hint
  15. spring — the season
  16. root — of a word
  17. spring — a coil
  18. root — the cause
  19. cue — a signal
  20. charge — a price
  21. root — of a plant
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bound — obliged
  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