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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  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. tear — to rip
  2. root — the cause
  3. charge — electricity
  4. charge — a price
  5. shower — to wash
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. shower — rain
  8. firm — steady
  9. tear — from crying
  10. root — of a word
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. firm — decided
  13. bulb — for light
  14. root — of a plant
  15. club — for golf
  16. club — a group
  17. content — happy
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. tear — from crying
  20. firm — a company
  21. club — for dancing
  22. charge — in control
  23. content — the amount
  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