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: scale · rash · press · kid · bulb · mark · chest · can

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. mark — a trace
  4. scale — size or range
  5. press — a publisher
  6. can — to be able to
  7. scale — in music
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. kid — child
  10. chest — of your body
  11. can — a tin
  12. kid — to tease
  13. can — a tin
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. chest — a box
  16. chest — of your body
  17. rash — hasty
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. press — to push
  21. press — newspapers
  22. mark — a grade
  23. rash — a series
  24. bulb — for light

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