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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. band — a music group
  7. mate — a partner
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bulb — for light
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. rush — hurry
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. band — a ring
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. dip — to sink
  19. mate — a friend
  20. mate — to breed
  21. bulb — for light
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. dip — to dunk

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