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: bulb · board · pop · hand · mouse · kid · ruler · spring

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pop — soda
  4. bulb — for light
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. kid — child
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. spring — the season
  10. pop — to visit
  11. board — a committee
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. kid — to tease
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. hand — in cards
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. spring — a coil
  19. pop — music
  20. board — to get on
  21. hand — help
  22. bulb — for light
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bulb — of a plant

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