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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. craft — boats
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bulb — for light
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. content — the amount
  8. bulb — for light
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. board — a committee
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. content — happy
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. board — to get on
  19. craft — a skill
  20. rock — music
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rock — a stone

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