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 116 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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  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. tube — a container
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. tube — the underground
  4. object — an aim
  5. bulb — for light
  6. swing — in golf
  7. press — a publisher
  8. swing — music
  9. object — to protest
  10. press — newspapers
  11. dip — to sink
  12. fall — the season
  13. fall — to drop
  14. drill — the tool
  15. swing — to play on
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. drill — army training
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. object — a thing
  20. fall — to drop
  21. press — to push
  22. bulb — for light
  23. dip — to dunk
  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