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 120 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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bulb — for light
  4. cap — a lid
  5. net — after costs
  6. net — in sport
  7. rock — a stone
  8. firm — a company
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. rock — music
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. firm — decided
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. net — for catching
  16. cap — a hat
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bound — certain
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. cap — of ice
  21. firm — steady
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bulb — for light
  24. coach — a trainer

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