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 116 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: bass · vault · bore · craft · bulb · fall · stick · racket

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. vault — a safe
  3. craft — a skill
  4. bulb — for light
  5. fall — to drop
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. fall — the season
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. bass — the fish
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bore — to tire
  16. fall — to drop
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bore — to drill
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. craft — boats
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bass — low music
  24. bulb — for light

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