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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bound — tied together
  5. field — farmland
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. lean — to bend
  8. season — of the year
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bound — certain
  12. bore — to tire
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. bore — to drill
  15. lean — thin
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bound — obliged
  20. field — a subject
  21. field — for sport
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. season — in sport
  24. leaves — 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