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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. last — final
  4. current — happening now
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. current — electric
  8. last — to go on
  9. last — finally
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. bulb — for light
  12. degree — from a university
  13. bear — the animal
  14. season — in sport
  15. current — of water
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bore — to drill
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. bear — the animal
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. degree — an amount
  22. degree — temperature
  23. season — of the year
  24. bear — to put up with

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