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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. net — in sport
  3. bat — the animal
  4. last — finally
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bear — the animal
  7. net — for catching
  8. board — to get on
  9. last — to go on
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. bear — the animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. last — final
  17. bore — to tire
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bulb — for light
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. board — a committee
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. net — after costs

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