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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. bulb — for light
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. object — a thing
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. firm — a company
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. object — an aim
  9. firm — steady
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. spring — of water
  12. root — of a plant
  13. firm — decided
  14. bark — to shout
  15. chair — a leader
  16. spring — a coil
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. object — to protest
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. spring — the season
  22. root — of a word
  23. bulb — for light
  24. root — the cause

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