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 116 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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. pop — soda
  4. face — part of the head
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pop — music
  9. can — a tin
  10. face — to point toward
  11. can — to be able to
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bear — the animal
  14. current — of water
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. current — happening now
  17. can — a tin
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. face — to confront
  20. ball — a dance
  21. pop — to visit
  22. bulb — for light
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. current — electric

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