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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. land — to come down
  7. bulb — for light
  8. object — an aim
  9. land — a country
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. bat — the animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. object — a thing
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. wake — a trail
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. land — ground
  21. object — to protest
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. bear — the animal

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