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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. bulb — for light
  3. charge — electricity
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. pit — a hole
  6. bass — low music
  7. wake — a trail
  8. bulb — for light
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. bass — the fish
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pit — in a race
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. charge — in control
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. charge — a price

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