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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. prune — to trim
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. prune — to trim
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. current — happening now
  14. rock — music
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. deal — to handle
  17. current — electric
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pass — a permit
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. current — of water
  22. rush — hurry
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. rock — a stone

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