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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. fall — to drop
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. lean — to bend
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. bulb — for light
  20. fall — the season
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. cell — a phone
  23. cell — in biology
  24. lean — thin

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