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: cabinet · bound · stand · bore · craft · nail · bulb · pop

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pop — to visit
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. craft — boats
  12. pop — music
  13. bulb — for light
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. stand — to bear
  16. bore — to drill
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bound — certain
  19. craft — a skill
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bound — tied together
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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