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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bore — to drill
  5. spring — the season
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. toast — bread
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. bore — to tire
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bulb — for light
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. spring — a coil
  18. bulb — for light
  19. face — to confront
  20. scale — in music
  21. saw — the tool
  22. spring — of water
  23. face — to point toward
  24. scale — size or range

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