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: straw · mouse · face · club · plane · game · bulb · bound

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. bulb — for light
  3. club — for golf
  4. club — for dancing
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. face — to point toward
  7. bound — certain
  8. bulb — for light
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. game — a match
  12. face — to confront
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. bound — tied together
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. club — a group
  19. game — wild animals
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bound — obliged
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. mouse — the animal

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