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 120 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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bulb — for light
  4. game — wild animals
  5. root — the cause
  6. bound — tied together
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. rush — hurry
  10. spell — letters
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. spell — magic
  15. bank — of a river
  16. root — of a plant
  17. root — of a word
  18. spell — a short time
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — for money
  23. game — a match
  24. rush — a thrill

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