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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bulb — for light
  4. current — electric
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. pit — in a race
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. chip — to eat
  12. branch — a division
  13. bulb — for light
  14. spring — the season
  15. current — happening now
  16. spring — a coil
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. current — of water
  22. spring — of water
  23. pit — a hole
  24. chip — for betting

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