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 120 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: net · racket · wave · bulb · kid · kick · tube · bore

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. net — for catching
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bore — to drill
  7. kid — child
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. tube — the underground
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. kick — in football
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. net — after costs
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. tube — a container
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. net — in sport
  21. bulb — for light
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. kid — to tease

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