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: bulb · last · roll · charge · bear · foot · kid · net

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. charge — a price
  4. kid — child
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. last — to go on
  7. roll — a cake
  8. bear — the animal
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. charge — in control
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. kid — to tease
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. bulb — for light
  17. charge — electricity
  18. foot — a measure
  19. net — after costs
  20. roll — a list
  21. last — final
  22. bear — the animal
  23. net — for catching
  24. net — in sport

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