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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bulb — for light
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. land — ground
  8. bank — for money
  9. saw — the tool
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. bank — of a river
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. land — a country
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. bank — for money
  17. can — a tin
  18. land — to come down
  19. bulb — for light
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. wake — a trail
  24. patient — a sick person

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