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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. net — after costs
  5. net — for catching
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. charge — a price
  9. mark — a trace
  10. bulb — for light
  11. charge — electricity
  12. race — a contest
  13. rush — hurry
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. net — in sport
  16. race — humankind
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. mark — a grade
  20. charge — in control
  21. bulb — for light
  22. race — the arms race
  23. fine — high quality
  24. rush — to hurry

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