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 120 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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rest — what's left
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. rest — a break
  8. craft — a skill
  9. rest — what's left
  10. mine — for digging
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. snap — to click
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. dip — to sink
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. plane — a tool
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. craft — boats

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