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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wake — a trail
  4. net — after costs
  5. bulb — for light
  6. season — of the year
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. season — in sport
  11. roll — a list
  12. net — for catching
  13. bear — the animal
  14. roll — a cake
  15. net — in sport
  16. bound — certain
  17. bear — the animal
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pit — in a race
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bear — to put up with

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