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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. spell — magic
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — to sink
  7. spell — letters
  8. ball — a great time
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. spell — a short time
  15. key — for a lock
  16. ball — a dance
  17. key — the most important part
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. key — in music
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bark — to shout
  24. pitcher — a jug

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