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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. bulb — for light
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. rest — what's left
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bulb — for light
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. current — happening now
  11. lie — to recline
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. kick — in football
  14. band — a ring
  15. band — a music group
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. rest — what's left
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. current — electric
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. current — of water
  24. coach — a trainer

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