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: spring · bulb · key · stick · tube · rush · lean · wound

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. key — in music
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. bulb — for light
  5. wound — an injury
  6. lean — thin
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. spring — of water
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. tube — the underground
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. spring — the season
  15. spring — a coil
  16. tube — a container
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bulb — for light
  20. lean — to bend
  21. key — for a lock
  22. key — the most important part
  23. rush — hurry
  24. tube — in a tire

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