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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. bulb — for light
  5. present — there
  6. kick — in football
  7. roll — a list
  8. game — a match
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. game — wild animals
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. present — a gift
  14. squash — to crush
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. bulb — for light
  17. pop — music
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. roll — a cake
  21. present — the time now
  22. squash — the sport
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — to visit

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