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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. net — in sport
  3. firm — decided
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. race — humankind
  9. bulb — for light
  10. squash — the sport
  11. bulb — for light
  12. net — for catching
  13. net — after costs
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. firm — a company
  16. race — a contest
  17. firm — steady
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. kick — in football
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. ball — a dance
  22. race — the arms race
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. squash — to crush

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