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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bass — the fish
  4. press — a publisher
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. wind — moving air
  7. press — to push
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bass — low music
  16. ball — a dance
  17. wind — moving air
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. press — newspapers
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bulb — for light

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