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 116 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fan · pitcher · row · drill · mine · lie · bulb · craft

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. row — to paddle
  3. drill — the tool
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. row — a line
  10. mine — for digging
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. drill — army training
  14. drill — a practice
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. craft — a skill
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. lie — to recline
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bulb — of a plant

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