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 124 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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rest — a break
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. rest — what's left
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. bulb — for light
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. snap — to click
  12. saw — the tool
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. last — finally
  17. deal — to handle
  18. last — final
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. rest — what's left
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. saw — the tool
  24. last — to go on

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