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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bat — the animal
  3. current — electric
  4. march — music
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. current — happening now
  7. track — a path
  8. march — the month
  9. track — a song
  10. track — to keep track
  11. swing — in golf
  12. current — of water
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. march — the month
  16. land — a country
  17. swing — music
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. bulb — for light
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. swing — to play on
  22. land — to come down
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. land — ground

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