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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. bulb — for light
  3. band — a ring
  4. bank — of a river
  5. field — for sport
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. field — a subject
  9. tear — to rip
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bore — to tire
  13. charge — electricity
  14. tear — from crying
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bore — to drill
  17. charge — a price
  18. bank — for money
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. charge — in control
  22. bank — for money
  23. field — farmland
  24. tear — from crying

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