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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bank — for money
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. cap — of ice
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. rock — a stone
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — employees
  9. bulb — for light
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. staff — a stick
  12. rock — music
  13. foot — a measure
  14. chest — of your body
  15. chest — of your body
  16. cap — a lid
  17. bank — of a river
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bulb — for light
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. chest — a box
  23. cap — a hat
  24. bank — for money

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