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: bank · race · rock · kick · date · ground · bound · bulb

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bound — certain
  3. race — the arms race
  4. ground — crushed
  5. bank — of a river
  6. date — the fruit
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. bank — for money
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rock — a stone
  13. race — humankind
  14. kick — in football
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. race — a contest
  18. ground — a position
  19. rock — music
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bank — for money
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. ground — the earth

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