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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pit — in a race
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pit — a hole
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bore — to tire
  12. spell — magic
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bulb — for light
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. spell — a short time
  24. bulb — of a plant

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