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 116 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: track · suit · last · wake · firm · bulb · spring · wave

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. last — final
  4. track — a song
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. firm — a company
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. firm — decided
  9. track — to keep track
  10. spring — of water
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wake — a trail
  13. spring — the season
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. last — finally
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. suit — to fit
  18. spring — a coil
  19. bulb — for light
  20. firm — steady
  21. track — a path
  22. suit — clothes
  23. last — to go on
  24. suit — 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