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: bat · swing · bound · row · track · saw · bulb · bore

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bulb — for light
  8. swing — music
  9. swing — in golf
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. bound — tied together
  12. saw — the tool
  13. track — a song
  14. track — to keep track
  15. row — a line
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. bound — certain
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. bulb — for light
  20. row — to paddle
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. saw — the tool
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. track — a path

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