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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. charge — in control
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. board — a committee
  5. fine — all right
  6. drill — a practice
  7. charge — a price
  8. roll — a list
  9. charge — electricity
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. drill — the tool
  13. squash — the sport
  14. squash — to crush
  15. board — to get on
  16. drill — army training
  17. fine — high quality
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. roll — a cake
  23. bulb — for light
  24. roll — on a roll

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