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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. drill — the tool
  3. deal — to handle
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. drill — a practice
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bulb — for light
  10. spring — the season
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. drill — army training
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. pop — to visit
  17. pop — music
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. pop — soda
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. spring — of water
  23. spring — a coil
  24. saw — the tool

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