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: object · vault · wave · content · plane · bulb · file · current

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. vault — a safe
  6. object — an aim
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. object — to protest
  10. current — of water
  11. current — electric
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. content — happy
  14. bulb — for light
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. current — happening now
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. file — a tool
  21. object — a thing
  22. file — a line of people
  23. file — a document
  24. content — the amount

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