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: bulb · toast · game · coach · kid · fine · rock · tear

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. bulb — for light
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. tear — from crying
  5. bulb — for light
  6. toast — bread
  7. rock — music
  8. fine — all right
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. kid — child
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. game — wild animals
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. game — a match
  18. kid — to tease
  19. fine — high quality
  20. tear — from crying
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. rock — a stone
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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