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: race · present · pass · court · bulb · toast · content · jam

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. content — the amount
  4. present — a gift
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. race — a contest
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. race — the arms race
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. court — of a king
  11. present — the time now
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. present — there
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. race — humankind
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. toast — bread
  19. content — happy
  20. bulb — for light
  21. court — for sport
  22. court — of law
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. pass — a permit

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