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

Word bank: clip · suit · trunk · fall · can · content · snap · bulb

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. can — to be able to
  3. clip — to cut
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. snap — to click
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. clip — for paper
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — the season
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bulb — for light
  16. content — the amount
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — a tin
  19. bulb — for light
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. clip — a video
  22. content — happy
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. fall — to drop

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