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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. mug — to rob
  5. bulb — for light
  6. spell — a short time
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. mug — a face
  10. rule — a law
  11. capital — a city
  12. spell — letters
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. bear — the animal
  15. capital — money
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. rule — government
  21. mug — a cup
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. spell — magic
  24. dip — to sink

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