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 120 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: wake · band · suit · prune · bore · bulb · kid · mate

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. prune — to trim
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. mate — to breed
  5. suit — to fit
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. bulb — for light
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. bore — to drill
  11. mate — a partner
  12. suit — in cards
  13. wake — a trail
  14. kid — child
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. band — a ring
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. band — a music group
  21. kid — to tease
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bore — to tire
  24. prune — to trim

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