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: pop · chest · bay · safe · trunk · bulb · object · chip

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chest — of your body
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. object — to protest
  9. object — an aim
  10. chest — of your body
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. chest — a box
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pop — soda
  15. chip — for betting
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. chip — to eat
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pop — music
  23. object — a thing
  24. safe — a strongbox

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