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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. tube — a container
  4. bat — the animal
  5. tube — the underground
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. bulb — for light
  8. charge — a price
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. net — after costs
  12. net — in sport
  13. bank — for money
  14. net — for catching
  15. stand — to bear
  16. band — a ring
  17. charge — in control
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. bank — for money
  21. charge — electricity
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. band — a music group
  24. bank — of a river

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