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 120 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: bore · cabinet · fall · race · wake · club · rest · bulb

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. rest — what's left
  3. club — a group
  4. rest — a break
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — for light
  9. fall — to drop
  10. race — the arms race
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. fall — the season
  13. race — humankind
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. race — a contest
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. fall — to drop
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. club — for dancing
  21. club — for golf
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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