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: ruler · rest · pop · toast · bulb · racket · dip · season

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. rest — what's left
  6. season — in sport
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. bulb — for light
  10. rest — what's left
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pop — to visit
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pop — music
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. toast — bread
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. pop — soda
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. dip — to sink
  23. season — of the year
  24. ruler — for measuring

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