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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. cell — in biology
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. ball — a great time
  6. land — ground
  7. season — of the year
  8. suit — clothes
  9. season — in sport
  10. bulb — for light
  11. game — a match
  12. land — to come down
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. suit — to fit
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a dance
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. pass — a permit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. game — wild animals
  22. bulb — for light
  23. cell — a phone
  24. land — a country

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