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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. current — happening now
  3. land — to come down
  4. drill — a practice
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. land — a country
  7. band — a music group
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. current — electric
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. present — the time now
  14. drill — the tool
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. band — a ring
  19. present — a gift
  20. current — of water
  21. bulb — for light
  22. drill — army training
  23. present — there
  24. land — ground

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