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: fine · dip · cell · straw · bulb · rock · pit · ball

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. dip — to sink
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pit — in a race
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pit — a hole
  15. ball — a dance
  16. fine — all right
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. cell — a phone
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. rock — a stone
  21. ball — a great time
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. fine — high quality

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