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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bulb — for light
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. bank — for money
  6. bound — certain
  7. bank — of a river
  8. spell — magic
  9. bound — tied together
  10. fall — the season
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. spell — a short time
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. fall — to drop
  16. date — the fruit
  17. fall — to drop
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. spell — letters
  22. bank — for money
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. lash — an eyelash

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