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 124 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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. spell — a short time
  3. chest — a box
  4. rock — a stone
  5. pop — to visit
  6. chest — of your body
  7. band — a ring
  8. bear — the animal
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. pop — music
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rock — music
  14. band — a music group
  15. rush — hurry
  16. bulb — for light
  17. spell — letters
  18. pop — soda
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. chest — of your body
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. spell — magic
  24. bear — to put up with

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