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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. press — newspapers
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bulb — for light
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. press — to push
  9. chip — for betting
  10. fall — the season
  11. pit — in a race
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. pit — a hole
  15. rush — hurry
  16. squash — to crush
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. squash — the sport
  20. chip — to eat
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. press — a publisher
  24. cabinet — ministers

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