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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. fall — to drop
  3. scale — size or range
  4. mark — a trace
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. fall — the season
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. spell — a short time
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. content — happy
  11. content — the amount
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. spell — magic
  14. mark — a grade
  15. bulb — for light
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. spell — letters
  18. scale — in music
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. fall — to drop
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. snap — to click
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. arm — part of the body

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