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: current · bore · cue · bulb · tear · plane · ground · file

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. cue — a signal
  5. bore — to drill
  6. current — electric
  7. plane — a tool
  8. ground — crushed
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. cue — for pool
  12. current — happening now
  13. ground — the earth
  14. ground — a position
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. cue — a hint
  17. file — a document
  18. tear — to rip
  19. bulb — for light
  20. current — of water
  21. tear — from crying
  22. file — a tool
  23. file — a line of people
  24. bore — to tire

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