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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. squash — to crush
  3. season — of the year
  4. season — in sport
  5. fine — high quality
  6. land — to come down
  7. land — ground
  8. land — a country
  9. bore — to drill
  10. key — in music
  11. fine — all right
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. squash — the sport
  17. ball — a great time
  18. key — for a lock
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bulb — for light
  23. ball — a dance
  24. bore — to tire

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