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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  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. game — a match
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. object — to protest
  6. pound — a weight
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. game — wild animals
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. object — a thing
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. object — an aim
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. bulb — for light
  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