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: face · chair · current · content · bulb · hand · fan · mark

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. hand — in cards
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. bulb — for light
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. current — electric
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mark — a trace
  12. current — happening now
  13. face — to confront
  14. content — happy
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. face — part of the head
  17. mark — a grade
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. current — of water
  21. hand — help
  22. content — the amount
  23. face — to point toward
  24. chair — a leader

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