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: bulb · lash · row · mouse · jam · date · bank · club

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. club — for dancing
  3. row — a line
  4. bulb — for light
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. bank — for money
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bank — of a river
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. bulb — for light
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. row — to paddle
  17. club — for golf
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. date — the fruit
  20. club — a group
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. bank — for money

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