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: race · bulb · chair · branch · mark · bore · tear · ball

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. ball — a great time
  5. mark — a trace
  6. tear — from crying
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. race — a contest
  9. chair — a leader
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. bulb — for light
  12. tear — to rip
  13. bore — to tire
  14. race — the arms race
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. bore — to drill
  17. race — humankind
  18. branch — a division
  19. tear — from crying
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bulb — for light
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. mark — a grade

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