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: file · firm · fan · rock · ground · bulb · court · jam

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. file — a document
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. file — a line of people
  6. rock — a stone
  7. bulb — for light
  8. court — for sport
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. court — of law
  11. ground — the earth
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. court — of a king
  14. firm — decided
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. ground — a position
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. file — a tool
  21. ground — crushed
  22. bulb — for light
  23. firm — a company
  24. firm — steady

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