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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. craft — a skill
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. season — of the year
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. court — for sport
  7. track — a path
  8. track — a song
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bulb — for light
  14. craft — boats
  15. season — in sport
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. track — to keep track
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. court — of a king
  23. toast — bread
  24. court — of law

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