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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. kid — to tease
  4. kid — child
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. present — a gift
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chip — to eat
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. present — there
  15. vault — a safe
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. wake — a trail
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. present — the time now
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. season — in sport
  24. bulb — for light

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