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: bank · kick · bulb · spell · board · fork · season · lie

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bulb — for light
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bank — for money
  5. lie — to recline
  6. season — of the year
  7. spell — magic
  8. bank — for money
  9. kick — in football
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. spell — a short time
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. board — a committee
  14. bank — of a river
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. bulb — for light
  19. spell — letters
  20. fork — in a road
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. season — in sport
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. fork — to eat with

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