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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. bulb — for light
  3. sharp — clever
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. wake — a trail
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. spell — letters
  11. spell — a short time
  12. dip — to sink
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. spell — magic
  15. bulb — for light
  16. drill — army training
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. drill — a practice
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. drill — the tool
  24. pitch — completely

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