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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. chip — to eat
  3. swing — to play on
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. swing — in golf
  6. pop — music
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. staff — employees
  10. pop — to visit
  11. bulb — for light
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. swing — music
  14. bear — the animal
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. staff — a stick
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. pop — soda
  19. bear — the animal
  20. staff — employees
  21. chip — for betting
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. nail — for a hammer

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