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 120 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 · mine · trunk · drill · squash · lean · pop · charge

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. squash — to crush
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. pop — music
  5. charge — a price
  6. drill — army training
  7. bulb — for light
  8. charge — in control
  9. lean — to bend
  10. charge — electricity
  11. lean — thin
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. squash — the sport
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. pop — soda
  16. bulb — for light
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. pop — to visit
  20. mine — for digging
  21. drill — the tool
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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