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: kick · snap · object · season · rest · bowl · bulb · drill

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. object — an aim
  4. snap — to click
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. rest — a break
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. rest — what's left
  9. drill — army training
  10. object — a thing
  11. drill — a practice
  12. season — in sport
  13. object — to protest
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. kick — in football
  16. rest — what's left
  17. season — of the year
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. drill — the tool
  24. bulb — for light

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