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: hide · chip · bulb · wave · saw · press · snap · mouse

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bulb — for light
  8. press — to push
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. chip — to eat
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bulb — for light
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. saw — the tool
  16. chip — for betting
  17. press — newspapers
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. snap — to click
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. press — a publisher

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