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: root · drill · deal · object · bound · bulb · arm · board

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bound — tied together
  3. deal — to handle
  4. bound — obliged
  5. object — to protest
  6. root — of a plant
  7. root — of a word
  8. object — an aim
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bound — certain
  12. board — to get on
  13. bulb — for light
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. board — a committee
  18. drill — the tool
  19. root — the cause
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. drill — a practice
  23. drill — army training
  24. object — a thing

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