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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. bulb — for light
  3. season — of the year
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. face — to confront
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. foot — a measure
  9. wake — a trail
  10. chip — to eat
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. face — to point toward
  13. stem — to come from
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. chip — for betting
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. bulb — for light
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. vault — a safe
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. stem — of a plant

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