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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. bulb — for light
  3. prune — to trim
  4. suit — in cards
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. dip — to sink
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. bulb — for light
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. face — to point toward
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. face — part of the head
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. suit — to fit
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. face — to confront
  19. mine — for digging
  20. prune — to trim
  21. suit — clothes
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. plane — a tool

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