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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bass — low music
  4. swing — to play on
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. root — of a word
  8. rest — a break
  9. bulb — for light
  10. root — the cause
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. swing — music
  13. object — a thing
  14. object — to protest
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. root — of a plant
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. rest — what's left
  23. swing — in golf
  24. object — an aim

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