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: bulb · bound · hand · wind · mouse · firm · bore · sharp

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. firm — decided
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. firm — steady
  8. wind — moving air
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bound — certain
  13. bound — obliged
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. firm — a company
  18. hand — in cards
  19. hand — help
  20. wind — moving air
  21. bore — to tire
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. bound — tied together
  24. sharp — clever

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