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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. roll — a list
  4. drill — army training
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. bound — tied together
  10. fall — to drop
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a great time
  13. roll — a cake
  14. bound — certain
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. fall — the season
  18. bulb — for light
  19. rock — music
  20. bound — obliged
  21. rock — a stone
  22. drill — the tool
  23. snap — to click
  24. drill — a practice

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