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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bulb — for light
  3. can — to be able to
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. bat — the animal
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pound — a weight
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. can — a tin
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. can — a tin
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. staff — employees
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. staff — a stick
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. lean — thin
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bulb — for light
  23. lean — to bend
  24. bat — in an idiom

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