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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. spell — magic
  3. swing — in golf
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. spell — letters
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bulb — for light
  11. ball — a dance
  12. mine — for digging
  13. swing — music
  14. key — for a lock
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bulb — for light
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. key — the most important part
  20. ball — a great time
  21. spell — a short time
  22. key — in music
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. swing — to play on

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