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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. deal — to handle
  3. net — after costs
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. net — in sport
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pass — a permit
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. tube — the underground
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. bulb — for light
  18. net — for catching
  19. tube — a container
  20. bulb — for light
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. snap — to click
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. mine — for digging

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