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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. face — to confront
  3. face — part of the head
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. shower — rain
  8. current — of water
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. shower — to wash
  16. bulb — for light
  17. rash — a series
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. current — electric
  20. current — happening now
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bulb — for light
  23. face — to point toward
  24. wave — of the sea

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