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.
Multiple-Meaning Words
Name: ____________________Date: __________
Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.
- The light ________________ burned out.
- I've got to change the light ________________.
- You shouldn't ________________ things.
- The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
- Would you like some apricot ________________?
- Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
- Tom got himself in a ________________.
- Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
- Have you found your soul ________________?
- The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
- I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
- Take your time. There's no ________________.
- It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
- Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
- Have you met the new head ________________?
- That must've been a ________________.
- Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
- Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com
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