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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. land — a country
  7. land — to come down
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fine — all right
  11. cap — a lid
  12. key — in music
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. bulb — for light
  15. mine — for digging
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. cap — of ice
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. cap — a hat
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. bulb — for light
  22. land — ground
  23. key — the most important part
  24. trunk — of a car

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