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: pop · kid · net · rock · bulb · stick · capital · squash

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. net — in sport
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. bulb — for light
  6. kid — child
  7. rock — a stone
  8. net — after costs
  9. net — for catching
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pop — music
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. rock — music
  14. pop — soda
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. kid — to tease
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. capital — a city
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. capital — money
  22. pop — to visit
  23. squash — the sport
  24. squash — to crush

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