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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. mug — a cup
  3. present — the time now
  4. charge — a price
  5. craft — a skill
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. charge — electricity
  8. bat — the animal
  9. mug — to rob
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. charge — in control
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. last — final
  14. last — finally
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. craft — boats
  17. present — there
  18. bulb — for light
  19. present — a gift
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. date — the fruit
  22. last — to go on
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. mug — a face

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