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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. bulb — for light
  3. degree — temperature
  4. land — to come down
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. land — a country
  7. land — ground
  8. court — of law
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. degree — an amount
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. court — for sport
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. degree — from a university
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bulb — for light
  23. court — of a king
  24. toast — bread

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