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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. mate — to breed
  4. row — to paddle
  5. march — music
  6. field — for sport
  7. march — the month
  8. row — a line
  9. charge — electricity
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. court — of law
  12. field — farmland
  13. mate — a friend
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. charge — a price
  16. court — for sport
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. field — a subject
  19. bulb — for light
  20. court — of a king
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. march — the month
  23. charge — in control
  24. mate — a partner

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