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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bound — certain
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. bore — to drill
  8. cap — a hat
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — a skill
  11. cap — a lid
  12. bound — tied together
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. season — of the year
  16. bulb — for light
  17. craft — boats
  18. bat — the animal
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. cap — of ice
  22. season — in sport
  23. rash — hasty
  24. rash — a series

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