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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. club — for golf
  3. club — a group
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. mate — a friend
  6. ground — the earth
  7. ground — a position
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. tube — the underground
  10. rest — what's left
  11. mate — a partner
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. club — for dancing
  14. mate — to breed
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. rest — what's left
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. bulb — for light
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. ground — crushed
  23. tube — a container
  24. bulb — for light

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