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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. bulb — for light
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. content — the amount
  6. field — a subject
  7. rock — music
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. field — farmland
  11. chip — for betting
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. rock — a stone
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. content — happy
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. field — for sport
  23. saw — the tool
  24. chip — to eat

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