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 120 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: tube · suit · bulb · snap · rush · mine · rock · straw

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. rock — music
  3. tube — the underground
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. rush — hurry
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. snap — to click
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bulb — for light
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. suit — clothes
  15. rock — a stone
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. tube — a container
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. mine — for digging
  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