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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — for pool
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rock — music
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. ground — the earth
  10. cold — not warm
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. key — the most important part
  13. rock — a stone
  14. ground — a position
  15. key — in music
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. fork — in a road
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. fall — the season
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. cold — an illness
  22. ground — crushed
  23. key — for a lock
  24. cue — a signal

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