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: coach · scale · fall · bulb · ruler · rush · hide · pop

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. fall — to drop
  5. pop — soda
  6. fall — the season
  7. scale — size or range
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bulb — for light
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. pop — to visit
  17. scale — in music
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pop — music
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. fall — to drop

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