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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. object — an aim
  3. object — a thing
  4. bulb — for light
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. object — to protest
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. rest — a break
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rest — what's left
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. pop — music
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bulb — for light
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. pop — soda

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