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 116 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: deal · clip · bear · pass · kid · board · bulb · drill

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. board — a committee
  4. kid — to tease
  5. clip — a video
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. clip — for paper
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. bulb — for light
  10. board — to get on
  11. kid — child
  12. clip — to cut
  13. bear — the animal
  14. drill — a practice
  15. drill — the tool
  16. pass — a permit
  17. deal — to handle
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. drill — army training
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bear — to put up with

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