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 120 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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. ground — the earth
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. object — an aim
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bulb — for light
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. ground — crushed
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. object — to protest
  15. kick — in football
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fine — high quality
  21. ground — a position
  22. fine — all right
  23. bulb — for light
  24. object — a thing

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