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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. capital — a city
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — for light
  8. spring — a coil
  9. ball — a dance
  10. spring — of water
  11. bound — certain
  12. bound — tied together
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bound — obliged
  20. ball — a great time
  21. capital — money
  22. lean — thin
  23. lean — to bend
  24. capital — a big letter

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