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: season · bear · last · hide · plane · bulb · bound · pit

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. last — to go on
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. plane — a tool
  6. season — of the year
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pit — a hole
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bound — tied together
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. season — in sport
  14. last — finally
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bound — certain
  17. bear — the animal
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bulb — for light
  22. last — final
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. plane — in geometry

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