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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bound — tied together
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fine — high quality
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. wind — moving air
  8. bear — the animal
  9. track — a song
  10. current — happening now
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bound — obliged
  14. current — of water
  15. fine — all right
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. wind — moving air
  18. track — a path
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bear — the animal
  21. fork — in a road
  22. current — electric
  23. track — to keep track
  24. bound — certain

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