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: pass · foot · band · saw · rock · date · bulb · clip

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. rock — music
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. date — the fruit
  6. band — a music group
  7. band — a ring
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pass — a permit
  13. clip — a video
  14. foot — a measure
  15. clip — to cut
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. bulb — for light
  18. saw — the tool
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. clip — for paper
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. rock — a stone
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. saw — the tool

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