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. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a dance
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. season — in sport
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. bulb — for light
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. snap — to click
  10. land — ground
  11. season — of the year
  12. land — to come down
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. land — a country
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. deal — to handle
  24. bulb — for light

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