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: snap · bulb · charge · mouse · tube · prune · rock · racket

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. prune — to trim
  3. charge — in control
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. prune — to trim
  9. tube — a container
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rock — music
  15. rock — a stone
  16. tube — the underground
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. charge — a price
  19. bulb — for light
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. charge — electricity
  23. snap — to click
  24. mouse — the animal

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