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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. file — a line of people
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. mug — a cup
  6. fall — the season
  7. game — wild animals
  8. drill — the tool
  9. file — a tool
  10. drill — army training
  11. plane — a tool
  12. fall — to drop
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. drill — a practice
  15. mug — to rob
  16. fall — to drop
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. bulb — for light
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. file — a document
  21. mug — a face
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. game — a match
  24. bulb — of a plant

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