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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. present — the time now
  3. kick — in football
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. drill — army training
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. rest — what's left
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. drill — a practice
  13. bulb — for light
  14. branch — a division
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. present — there
  17. drill — the tool
  18. staff — employees
  19. rest — a break
  20. wake — a trail
  21. present — a gift
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. rest — what's left
  24. staff — a stick

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