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 walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. file — a line of people
  3. bulb — for light
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. chip — for betting
  8. squash — the sport
  9. chip — to eat
  10. chair — a leader
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — to bear
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. squash — to crush
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bore — to tire
  19. lean — to bend
  20. lean — thin
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. file — a document
  23. file — a tool
  24. chair — a professorship

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