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

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. bulb — for light
  3. march — the month
  4. march — music
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. key — in music
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. march — the month
  12. key — for a lock
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bore — to drill
  15. capital — a city
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. capital — money
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. straw — a straw man

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