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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bulb — for light
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. net — after costs
  5. mug — a face
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. date — the fruit
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. snap — to click
  13. pop — music
  14. mug — to rob
  15. net — for catching
  16. pop — soda
  17. deal — to handle
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. perch — the fish
  20. net — in sport
  21. bulb — for light
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. pop — to visit
  24. date — on the calendar

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