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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. last — final
  6. net — in sport
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. spring — a coil
  9. last — finally
  10. spring — of water
  11. suit — clothes
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. cue — for pool
  14. bulb — for light
  15. net — after costs
  16. cue — a hint
  17. spring — the season
  18. suit — in cards
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. cue — a signal
  21. net — for catching
  22. last — to go on
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — the animal

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