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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. content — the amount
  3. field — for sport
  4. board — a committee
  5. suit — in cards
  6. field — farmland
  7. content — happy
  8. last — final
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. plane — a tool
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. last — finally
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. tube — a container
  17. bulb — for light
  18. suit — to fit
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. field — a subject
  21. tube — the underground
  22. suit — clothes
  23. last — to go on
  24. plane — in geometry

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