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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. march — music
  4. suit — in cards
  5. roll — a list
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. pit — a hole
  8. suit — clothes
  9. tear — from crying
  10. tear — to rip
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. pit — in a race
  14. row — a line
  15. bulb — for light
  16. tear — from crying
  17. roll — a cake
  18. march — the month
  19. march — the month
  20. suit — to fit
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. pound — a weight
  24. row — to paddle

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