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 120 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 to change the light ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  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. bulb — for light
  2. staff — employees
  3. club — for golf
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. mine — for digging
  8. bank — for money
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. bank — of a river
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. perch — the fish
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. bulb — for light
  16. club — a group
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. staff — employees
  19. club — for dancing
  20. fork — in a road
  21. bank — for money
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. staff — a stick
  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