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: bass · game · tear · mark · bulb · leaves · date · stick

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. date — the fruit
  4. bulb — for light
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. tear — from crying
  8. mark — a trace
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. tear — from crying
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. mark — a grade
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. bulb — for light
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. game — a match
  23. game — wild animals
  24. bass — low music

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