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 116 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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. land — to come down
  3. press — newspapers
  4. season — of the year
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. press — to push
  8. march — the month
  9. clip — a video
  10. land — a country
  11. bore — to drill
  12. clip — for paper
  13. press — a publisher
  14. tear — to rip
  15. march — the month
  16. bulb — for light
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. clip — to cut
  19. land — ground
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. tear — from crying
  22. tear — from crying
  23. season — in sport
  24. march — music

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