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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. charge — in control
  3. charge — electricity
  4. bulb — for light
  5. toast — bread
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. land — to come down
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. suit — clothes
  11. tear — from crying
  12. net — for catching
  13. tear — from crying
  14. bulb — for light
  15. land — a country
  16. tear — to rip
  17. charge — a price
  18. net — after costs
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. land — ground
  21. suit — in cards
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. net — in sport
  24. bulb — 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