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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  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. bear — the animal
  2. bank — for money
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bulb — for light
  8. land — ground
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. bank — for money
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. land — a country
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. land — to come down
  15. bulb — for light
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. bear — the animal
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bank — of a river
  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