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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. charge — in control
  5. fine — high quality
  6. cold — not warm
  7. fork — in a road
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. cold — an illness
  10. charge — a price
  11. plane — a tool
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. fine — all right
  14. charge — electricity
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. stem — to come from
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. bulb — for light

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