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 116 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: pass · face · rule · degree · bore · bulb · wind · bank

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. bore — to tire
  4. degree — temperature
  5. wind — moving air
  6. bank — for money
  7. degree — from a university
  8. face — part of the head
  9. pass — a permit
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. degree — an amount
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bank — of a river
  14. face — to point toward
  15. bulb — for light
  16. rule — government
  17. wind — moving air
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bore — to drill
  21. rule — a law
  22. bank — for money
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. face — to confront

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