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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bulb — for light
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pop — soda
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. kid — child
  8. root — the cause
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. bound — certain
  11. bulb — for light
  12. root — of a plant
  13. rest — what's left
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. rest — a break
  16. pop — to visit
  17. bass — the fish
  18. root — of a word
  19. bound — tied together
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. bass — low music
  22. kid — to tease
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bound — obliged

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