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: snap · fall · bulb · cabinet · root · current · nail · rush

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. current — happening now
  3. fall — to drop
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. snap — to click
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. bulb — for light
  11. fall — to drop
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. bulb — for light
  14. fall — the season
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. current — of water
  17. rush — hurry
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. current — electric
  20. root — of a word
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. root — the cause
  24. root — of a plant

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