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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. current — happening now
  6. land — a country
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. capital — money
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. capital — a city
  18. current — of water
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. land — to come down
  21. current — electric
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. land — ground
  24. racket — for tennis

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