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

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bulb — for light
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. key — in music
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. key — the most important part
  9. bulb — for light
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. game — wild animals
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. mark — a trace
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. key — for a lock
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. mark — a grade
  19. bank — for money
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. game — a match
  24. bank — of a river

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