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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bank — of a river
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tear — to rip
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. press — a publisher
  9. pound — a weight
  10. mate — a friend
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. bulb — for light
  13. press — to push
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. mate — a partner
  19. tear — from crying
  20. press — newspapers
  21. mate — to breed
  22. bank — for money
  23. dip — to sink
  24. bank — for money

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