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 don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rash — a series
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. rock — music
  5. rock — a stone
  6. ball — a dance
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a great time
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. wound — an injury
  14. bulb — for light
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. rash — hasty
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bulb — for light
  21. squash — the sport
  22. squash — to crush
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. leaves — lets stay

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