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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. wind — moving air
  7. spring — the season
  8. plane — a tool
  9. toast — bread
  10. spring — a coil
  11. spring — of water
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. wind — moving air
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. fall — to drop
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. fall — the season
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. fall — to drop

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