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: sharp · staff · shower · firm · straw · bulb · dip · can

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  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. dip — to dunk
  3. firm — steady
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. staff — employees
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. can — a tin
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. staff — a stick
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — to be able to
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. firm — decided
  14. shower — to wash
  15. firm — a company
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. bulb — for light
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. shower — rain
  21. dip — to sink
  22. staff — employees
  23. sharp — with an edge
  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