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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. court — of law
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. court — for sport
  13. spell — a short time
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. spell — magic
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. craft — a skill
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. court — of a king
  23. spell — letters
  24. craft — boats

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