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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bass — the fish
  4. spell — magic
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. race — humankind
  9. last — finally
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. spell — letters
  12. last — final
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. race — a contest
  15. scale — in music
  16. race — the arms race
  17. scale — size or range
  18. bass — low music
  19. spell — a short time
  20. wound — an injury
  21. foot — a measure
  22. last — to go on
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. bulb — for light

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