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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bulb — for light
  3. tube — the underground
  4. drill — army training
  5. tube — a container
  6. bulb — for light
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. drill — a practice
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. pass — a permit
  11. rush — hurry
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. drill — the tool
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. chest — of your body
  16. chest — a box
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. chest — of your body
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. mouse — the animal

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