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: bore · club · board · cap · bulb · land · bank · prune

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. prune — to trim
  4. board — to get on
  5. cap — of ice
  6. cap — a lid
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bank — for money
  9. bulb — for light
  10. land — to come down
  11. bank — of a river
  12. board — a committee
  13. cap — a hat
  14. land — ground
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. prune — to trim
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bank — for money
  20. bore — to drill
  21. land — a country
  22. club — a group
  23. club — for golf
  24. bulb — of a plant

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