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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. drill — a practice
  6. bore — to tire
  7. cell — in biology
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bass — low music
  10. cell — a phone
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. tube — a container
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bass — the fish
  17. tube — the underground
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. drill — the tool
  20. bulb — for light
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. drill — army training
  24. tube — in a tire

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