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: kid · suit · branch · stand · pop · bulb · net · land

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. suit — clothes
  3. net — in sport
  4. suit — in cards
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. land — ground
  9. branch — a division
  10. pop — soda
  11. pop — to visit
  12. bulb — for light
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. net — after costs
  15. pop — music
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. kid — to tease
  19. kid — child
  20. net — for catching
  21. stand — to bear
  22. suit — to fit
  23. land — a country
  24. land — to come down

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