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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. kick — in football
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. bat — the animal
  9. fine — high quality
  10. bass — low music
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bass — the fish
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. fine — all right
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. racket — for tennis

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