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: scale · mark · key · tear · rash · bound · fan · bulb

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. key — for a lock
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. rash — hasty
  5. tear — from crying
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. bound — obliged
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. key — the most important part
  12. bound — certain
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. scale — size or range
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. rash — a series
  17. scale — in music
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — for light
  20. key — in music
  21. tear — to rip
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bound — tied together

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