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 120 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: rest · bulb · trunk · deal · straw · mouse · present · pop

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pop — soda
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pop — to visit
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. pop — music
  8. present — the time now
  9. deal — to handle
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. rest — what's left
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. present — there
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. present — a gift
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. deal — an agreement

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