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 120 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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. current — happening now
  3. bulb — for light
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. ball — a dance
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. rush — hurry
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. band — a music group
  10. bulb — for light
  11. band — a ring
  12. current — of water
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. current — electric
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. ball — a great time
  24. fan — a supporter

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