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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. mate — a partner
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. mate — a friend
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. prune — to trim
  11. press — a publisher
  12. press — to push
  13. mate — to breed
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. chair — a leader
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. prune — to trim
  19. press — newspapers
  20. lie — to recline
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. deal — to handle

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