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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bank — for money
  3. net — in sport
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. fall — the season
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bank — for money
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bore — to tire
  11. land — to come down
  12. net — after costs
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. club — for golf
  15. band — a music group
  16. land — a country
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. club — a group
  19. land — ground
  20. club — for dancing
  21. net — for catching
  22. bank — of a river
  23. band — a ring
  24. fall — to drop

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