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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. cap — a lid
  3. foot — a measure
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. charge — a price
  6. cap — of ice
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — hurry
  9. firm — steady
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. firm — decided
  13. rock — a stone
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. firm — a company
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. charge — in control
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. wake — a trail
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. cap — a hat
  23. bulb — for light
  24. charge — electricity

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