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 · pitch · band · bass · cabinet · trunk · present · bulb

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. present — there
  3. bank — for money
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. bulb — for light
  6. band — a music group
  7. bank — of a river
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bank — for money
  11. present — the time now
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bass — the fish
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. band — a ring
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. present — a gift
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bass — low music
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. pitch — completely

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