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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hand · kid · saw · face · mark · bulb

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. mark — a grade
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. bulb — for light
  5. kid — to tease
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. kid — child
  8. mark — a trace
  9. hand — in cards
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. face — part of the head
  12. hand — help
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. face — to point toward
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. face — to confront
  18. bulb — for light

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