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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. chip — for betting
  5. bore — to tire
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. wake — a trail
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. bore — to drill
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. pass — a permit
  17. bulb — for light
  18. roll — a cake
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. chip — to eat
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. roll — a list
  23. bulb — for light
  24. pound — a weight

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