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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. swing — to play on
  3. mine — for digging
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. swing — music
  7. fall — to drop
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. board — a committee
  13. charge — in control
  14. board — to get on
  15. swing — in golf
  16. fall — the season
  17. fall — to drop
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. pass — a permit
  20. bank — for money
  21. charge — a price
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. charge — electricity

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