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 to change the light ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. fall — the season
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. plane — a tool
  6. object — a thing
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. season — of the year
  11. fall — to drop
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. lean — to bend
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. lean — thin
  16. bark — to shout
  17. object — an aim
  18. bank — for money
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. bulb — for light
  21. fall — to drop
  22. object — to protest
  23. bank — for money
  24. season — in sport

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