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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. net — after costs
  6. bass — low music
  7. bulb — for light
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. lean — to bend
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. net — in sport
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. net — for catching
  23. lean — thin
  24. bulb — for light

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