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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bear — the animal
  4. hand — help
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. bear — the animal
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bulb — for light
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. lean — thin
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. prune — to trim
  18. lean — to bend
  19. bulb — for light
  20. hand — in cards
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. hand — part of the body

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