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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. tear — from crying
  3. tear — from crying
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. tear — to rip
  8. chip — to eat
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. shower — rain
  12. saw — the tool
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. chip — for betting
  15. bulb — for light
  16. prune — to trim
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. shower — to wash
  19. mate — a friend
  20. prune — to trim
  21. mate — to breed
  22. mate — a partner
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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