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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. craft — a skill
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. bear — the animal
  6. land — a country
  7. net — for catching
  8. bear — the animal
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. land — ground
  11. land — to come down
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. craft — boats
  15. bulb — for light
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. toast — bread
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. net — in sport
  22. net — after costs
  23. fork — in a road
  24. fork — a garden tool

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