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: coach · mug · spring · pop · bulb · hand · foot · scale

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pop — soda
  4. scale — size or range
  5. hand — help
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. spring — of water
  9. spring — the season
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mug — a cup
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. scale — in music
  15. spring — a coil
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. hand — in cards
  18. foot — a measure
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mug — a face
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pop — to visit
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. pop — 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