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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. firm — decided
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. land — ground
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. shower — rain
  8. game — wild animals
  9. game — a match
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — for light
  12. shower — to wash
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. land — a country
  17. firm — a company
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. land — to come down
  24. firm — steady

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