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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. shower — rain
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bulb — for light
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. band — a music group
  10. band — a ring
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. craft — boats
  13. bulb — for light
  14. shower — to wash
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. fine — high quality
  17. scale — in music
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. craft — a skill
  23. pit — a hole
  24. fine — all right

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