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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bulb — for light
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. cue — for pool
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. sharp — clever
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. cue — a signal
  15. snap — to click
  16. ball — a great time
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. ball — a dance
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. date — the fruit
  22. cue — a hint
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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