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'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bulb — for light
  3. net — in sport
  4. charge — electricity
  5. bank — of a river
  6. net — for catching
  7. club — for dancing
  8. mug — a cup
  9. charge — a price
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. plane — a tool
  12. mug — a face
  13. kid — child
  14. club — a group
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. mug — to rob
  17. kid — to tease
  18. bank — for money
  19. charge — in control
  20. net — after costs
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. bulb — for light
  24. club — for golf

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