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: present · pop · key · tear · bulb · kick · capital · fan

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. key — the most important part
  4. key — in music
  5. present — the time now
  6. bulb — for light
  7. capital — a city
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. pop — music
  10. present — there
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. bulb — for light
  13. tear — from crying
  14. key — for a lock
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. tear — to rip
  17. capital — money
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. pop — to visit
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. kick — in football
  22. tear — from crying
  23. present — a gift
  24. pop — soda

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