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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. bulb — for light
  3. plane — a tool
  4. scale — in music
  5. bulb — for light
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. last — final
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. last — to go on
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. cell — a phone
  17. scale — size or range
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. last — finally
  20. dip — to sink
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. cell — in biology
  24. straw — a straw man

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