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: lash · cue · mouse · straw · pass · bulb · lie · march

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pass — a permit
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. cue — a signal
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. march — the month
  9. cue — a hint
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bulb — for light
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. cue — for pool
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. march — the month
  19. bulb — for light
  20. march — music
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — to recline
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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