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: deal · kick · chair · mug · fall · rock · rush · bulb

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. kick — in football
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. fall — the season
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. rock — a stone
  8. mug — a face
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. deal — to handle
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. rush — hurry
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. fall — to drop
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. chair — a leader
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. mug — to rob
  23. fall — to drop
  24. rock — music

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