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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. bulb — for light
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. file — a document
  6. current — electric
  7. squash — to crush
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. current — of water
  10. branch — a division
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. current — happening now
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. file — a line of people
  17. bulb — for light
  18. file — a tool
  19. bore — to drill
  20. squash — the sport
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bore — gave birth

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