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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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. cold — the Cold War
  4. suit — to fit
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. cold — an illness
  7. cold — not warm
  8. suit — clothes
  9. ground — a position
  10. suit — in cards
  11. rush — hurry
  12. ground — crushed
  13. bulb — for light
  14. row — a line
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. row — to paddle
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. bulb — for light
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — 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