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: jam · ruler · deal · bulb · chest · degree · lie · bear

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. chest — a box
  5. bulb — for light
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. chest — of your body
  9. degree — from a university
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. lie — to recline
  12. bear — the animal
  13. degree — an amount
  14. chest — of your body
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. deal — to handle
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. degree — temperature
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. jam — in traffic

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