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 · straw · wave · fine · cap · mine · mark · ball

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. mine — for digging
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. ball — a dance
  8. cap — a hat
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. mark — a grade
  11. cap — a lid
  12. fine — high quality
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. cap — of ice
  17. ball — a great time
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. fine — all right
  22. bulb — for light
  23. mark — a trace
  24. mine — an explosive

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