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 120 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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. row — a line
  3. bear — the animal
  4. scale — in music
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. pound — a weight
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. bulb — for light
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. scale — size or range
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bore — to tire
  21. rock — a stone
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. row — to paddle
  24. rock — music

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