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: dip · stand · hand · bowl · plane · bulb · bat · wake

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. stand — to bear
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. bulb — for light
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. plane — a tool
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. hand — help
  14. dip — to sink
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. bat — the animal
  17. wake — a trail
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bulb — for light
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. hand — in cards

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