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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. wake — a trail
  3. club — a group
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wind — moving air
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. game — wild animals
  11. club — for golf
  12. chip — for betting
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. game — a match
  17. club — for dancing
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. wind — moving air
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. chip — to eat
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. bulb — of a plant

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