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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. present — there
  5. bore — to drill
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bulb — for light
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. branch — a division
  12. wind — moving air
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. wind — moving air
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. present — a gift
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. present — the time now
  24. bulb — of a plant

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