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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. fine — all right
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. press — a publisher
  9. game — a match
  10. squash — the sport
  11. game — wild animals
  12. bulb — for light
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. fine — high quality
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. press — newspapers
  20. scale — size or range
  21. squash — to crush
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. press — to push

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