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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mine · saw · deal · spring · bowl · bulb · firm · kid

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. spring — of water
  4. bulb — for light
  5. mine — for digging
  6. deal — to handle
  7. saw — the tool
  8. spring — a coil
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. bulb — for light
  11. saw — the tool
  12. firm — steady
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. firm — decided
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. firm — a company
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. spring — the season
  22. kid — child
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. kid — to tease

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