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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. bore — to drill
  3. file — a tool
  4. pit — in a race
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. bore — to tire
  9. wound — an injury
  10. prune — to trim
  11. rest — what's left
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. pit — a hole
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. wound — an injury
  16. bulb — for light
  17. march — the month
  18. march — music
  19. rest — what's left
  20. file — a document
  21. march — the month
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. rest — a break
  24. prune — the fruit

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