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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. firm — decided
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. pass — a permit
  8. spring — a coil
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. firm — a company
  11. bulb — for light
  12. saw — the tool
  13. spring — of water
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. scale — in music
  16. scale — size or range
  17. spring — the season
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. saw — the tool
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. calf — a young animal

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