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: cap · rock · stem · face · jam · bound · bulb · pass

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. bulb — for light
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. face — to point toward
  5. rock — music
  6. cap — a hat
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. cap — a lid
  9. face — part of the head
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. face — to confront
  15. pass — a permit
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — obliged
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. rock — a stone
  21. cap — of ice
  22. stem — to come from
  23. bulb — for light
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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