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: present · fork · fall · rock · pass · toast · bulb · fan

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. bulb — for light
  3. fall — the season
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. present — the time now
  8. pass — a permit
  9. bulb — for light
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. rock — music
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. toast — bread
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fall — to drop
  21. rock — a stone
  22. fork — in a road
  23. present — there
  24. fork — a garden tool

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