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 · wave · bowl · drill · pit · land · mug · game

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. land — a country
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. mug — a cup
  5. land — ground
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. game — a match
  12. mug — to rob
  13. drill — a practice
  14. pit — in a race
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. pit — a hole
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. drill — army training
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. game — wild animals
  22. mug — a face
  23. drill — the tool
  24. land — to come down

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