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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. charge — in control
  3. spring — of water
  4. spring — the season
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. pop — soda
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bass — low music
  9. spring — a coil
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. degree — from a university
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pop — to visit
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. charge — electricity
  17. bore — to tire
  18. charge — a price
  19. degree — an amount
  20. bass — the fish
  21. pop — music
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. degree — temperature
  24. leaves — of a tree

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