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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. pit — in a race
  5. wake — a trail
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. net — after costs
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. mine — for digging
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. net — in sport
  14. craft — boats
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. pit — a hole
  19. bulb — for light
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. net — for catching
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. craft — a skill

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