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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. bulb — for light
  3. tear — to rip
  4. bass — the fish
  5. pop — soda
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. net — for catching
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bass — low music
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. net — after costs
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bulb — for light
  18. tear — from crying
  19. suit — clothes
  20. net — in sport
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bear — the animal
  23. pop — music
  24. tear — from crying

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