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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. bulb — for light
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. track — a song
  5. bulb — for light
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. bark — to shout
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. season — in sport
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. foot — a measure
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. track — a path
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. stand — to bear
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. track — to keep track
  22. season — of the year
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. foot — part of the body

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