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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. bulb — for light
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. bank — for money
  5. fall — to drop
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. shower — rain
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. tube — a container
  10. cell — in biology
  11. fall — to drop
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. fall — the season
  16. cell — a phone
  17. bank — for money
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bank — of a river
  20. shower — to wash
  21. tube — the underground
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. bulb — of a plant

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