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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. face — to point toward
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. field — a subject
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. court — of law
  9. rock — music
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. court — for sport
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. court — of a king
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. face — to confront
  18. field — farmland
  19. field — for sport
  20. bulb — for light
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. face — part of the head
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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