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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. pop — music
  3. ball — a dance
  4. bulb — for light
  5. pit — a hole
  6. stand — to bear
  7. pop — to visit
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pop — soda
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. pit — in a race
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — in music
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. saw — the tool
  20. key — the most important part
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. kid — child
  24. kid — to tease

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