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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. fall — the season
  3. net — for catching
  4. bulb — for light
  5. net — after costs
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. drill — a practice
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. fall — to drop
  11. toast — bread
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. drill — the tool
  14. capital — money
  15. net — in sport
  16. can — to be able to
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. can — a tin
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. can — a tin
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bulb — for light
  23. drill — army training
  24. capital — a city

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