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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. clip — for paper
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. drill — a practice
  7. stand — to bear
  8. mate — a partner
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. drill — army training
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. kid — to tease
  13. kid — child
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. mate — a friend
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. saw — the tool
  18. clip — a video
  19. bulb — for light
  20. drill — the tool
  21. mate — to breed
  22. saw — the tool
  23. clip — to cut
  24. bowl — a football final

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