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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. spell — a short time
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. bulb — for light
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. craft — a skill
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. branch — a division
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. craft — boats
  16. spell — magic
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. spell — letters
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bulb — for light
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. mine — for digging

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