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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. tube — the underground
  9. land — a country
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. bat — the animal
  12. bulb — for light
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. tube — a container
  15. land — to come down
  16. rock — a stone
  17. kid — child
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. land — ground
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. kid — to tease
  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