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: sharp · face · stand · wave · clip · race · ruler · bulb

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. face — to point toward
  4. race — a contest
  5. face — part of the head
  6. face — to confront
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. clip — a video
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. sharp — clever
  18. bulb — for light
  19. stand — to bear
  20. race — humankind
  21. clip — for paper
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. race — the arms race
  24. clip — to cut

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