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 120 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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. bulb — for light
  4. season — in sport
  5. lean — thin
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. season — of the year
  8. pit — a hole
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pop — to visit
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pop — music
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pop — soda
  19. bulb — for light
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. nail — on a finger

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