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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bat — the animal
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. cue — a hint
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. press — to push
  9. club — for golf
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. cue — for pool
  12. club — for dancing
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. club — a group
  15. cue — a signal
  16. game — wild animals
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — for light
  19. press — a publisher
  20. game — a match
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. press — newspapers
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. ruler — for measuring

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