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: tear · bore · bank · key · capital · kid · bulb · pop

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bore — to tire
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. pop — to visit
  7. bank — of a river
  8. tear — to rip
  9. kid — child
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. key — in music
  12. kid — to tease
  13. pop — music
  14. key — the most important part
  15. tear — from crying
  16. capital — money
  17. bulb — for light
  18. tear — from crying
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bank — for money
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. pop — soda
  24. capital — a city

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