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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. mug — a face
  4. saw — the tool
  5. mate — a partner
  6. wound — an injury
  7. mug — a cup
  8. bound — certain
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mate — to breed
  12. bulb — for light
  13. wound — an injury
  14. bound — tied together
  15. saw — the tool
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. object — to protest
  19. object — an aim
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. mug — to rob
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bound — obliged

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