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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. bulb — for light
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. track — to keep track
  6. mug — to rob
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. mug — a face
  9. wake — a trail
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. deal — to handle
  13. pound — a weight
  14. season — in sport
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. mug — a cup
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. track — a path
  19. track — a song
  20. court — for sport
  21. court — of a king
  22. season — of the year
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. bulb — for light

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