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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. bulb — for light
  3. stock — shares
  4. bulb — for light
  5. club — for dancing
  6. chip — for betting
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. stock — goods
  11. fall — to drop
  12. snap — to click
  13. club — for golf
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. chip — to eat
  16. club — a group
  17. wake — a trail
  18. fall — to drop
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. pass — a permit
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. fall — the season
  24. bulb — of a plant

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