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: sharp · ground · dip · bulb · snap · pop · squash · trunk

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. pop — music
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pop — soda
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. ground — a position
  12. ground — crushed
  13. squash — the sport
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. ground — the earth
  16. squash — to crush
  17. pop — to visit
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. snap — to click
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. dip — to sink
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. sharp — clever

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