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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. pit — a hole
  4. spring — of water
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. spring — a coil
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. current — electric
  12. board — to get on
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bound — certain
  15. spring — the season
  16. current — of water
  17. current — happening now
  18. branch — a division
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. board — a committee
  23. pit — in a race
  24. branch — of a tree

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