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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. wind — moving air
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rock — music
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. wound — an injury
  8. charge — in control
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. game — a match
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wind — moving air
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. charge — electricity
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. game — wild animals
  21. dip — to sink
  22. charge — a price
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. rock — a stone

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