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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. content — the amount
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bulb — for light
  5. mark — a trace
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. object — an aim
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. rest — what's left
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. suit — clothes
  13. mine — for digging
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. suit — to fit
  18. object — to protest
  19. rest — a break
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. suit — in cards
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. bulb — for light
  24. object — a thing

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