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: root · game · bound · bowl · bulb · chip · degree · swing

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. bound — tied together
  3. game — wild animals
  4. bound — certain
  5. bound — obliged
  6. degree — from a university
  7. bulb — for light
  8. root — the cause
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. root — of a plant
  11. swing — in golf
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. degree — temperature
  14. chip — for betting
  15. root — of a word
  16. bulb — for light
  17. degree — an amount
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. swing — music
  20. chip — to eat
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. game — a match

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