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: straw · arm · date · vault · present · content · bore · bulb

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. bulb — for light
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. present — the time now
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — there
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. bulb — for light
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. content — the amount
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. bore — to drill
  14. content — happy
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. vault — a safe
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. date — the fruit
  20. bore — to tire
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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