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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. plane — a tool
  5. staff — employees
  6. clip — for paper
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. net — for catching
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. pass — a permit
  14. staff — a stick
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. net — after costs
  17. net — in sport
  18. bulb — for light
  19. clip — to cut
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. staff — employees
  23. clip — a video
  24. deal — to handle

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