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 · march · lie · toast · clip · bore · wave · kick

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. march — the month
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bulb — for light
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. clip — a video
  12. kick — in football
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. clip — for paper
  15. toast — bread
  16. lie — to recline
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bore — to drill
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bore — to tire
  22. march — music
  23. march — the month
  24. clip — to cut

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