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: ball · stick · bulb · wave · suit · field · present · lean

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. bulb — for light
  3. ball — a great time
  4. field — for sport
  5. bulb — for light
  6. present — a gift
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. present — the time now
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. field — a subject
  16. suit — clothes
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. suit — to fit
  19. present — there
  20. lean — thin
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. field — farmland
  24. suit — in cards

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