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 116 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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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. cap — of ice
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. cap — a hat
  6. fall — the season
  7. staff — employees
  8. lean — to bend
  9. staff — a stick
  10. tube — the underground
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. bulb — for light
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. lean — thin
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. staff — employees
  20. tube — a container
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. fall — to drop
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cap — a lid

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