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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. shower — to wash
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. cap — a lid
  12. lean — to bend
  13. shower — rain
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. lean — thin
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. toast — bread
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bulb — for light
  23. cap — of ice
  24. cap — a hat

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