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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. bat — the animal
  4. tear — from crying
  5. fall — to drop
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bound — obliged
  11. tear — to rip
  12. fall — the season
  13. bound — tied together
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. plane — a tool
  17. stand — to bear
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. tear — from crying
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bound — certain

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