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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. chip — to eat
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. chip — for betting
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. dip — to sink
  16. bulb — for light
  17. net — for catching
  18. stand — to bear
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. net — in sport
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. net — after costs
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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