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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. bulb — for light
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. lie — to recline
  6. bulb — for light
  7. net — for catching
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. court — of law
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. court — for sport
  18. court — of a king
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. net — in sport
  24. net — after costs

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