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: object · last · bulb · press · fan · bowl · ball · current

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. object — a thing
  5. bulb — for light
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. current — of water
  8. press — to push
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. last — finally
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. last — to go on
  13. ball — a great time
  14. current — electric
  15. object — an aim
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. current — happening now
  18. bulb — for light
  19. press — newspapers
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. press — a publisher
  23. ball — a dance
  24. last — final

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