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: branch · bulb · field · bay · can · bore · track · wound

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. wound — an injury
  6. branch — a division
  7. field — farmland
  8. field — for sport
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. track — a song
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a path
  20. bore — to drill
  21. field — a subject
  22. bulb — for light
  23. can — a tin
  24. bay — a horse colour

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