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: cabinet · cold · jam · bank · net · can · bulb · coach

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. bank — for money
  4. net — after costs
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. can — a tin
  7. bulb — for light
  8. can — a tin
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. cold — not warm
  11. bank — of a river
  12. net — in sport
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. net — for catching
  16. bulb — for light
  17. can — to be able to
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bank — for money
  22. cold — an illness
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. cabinet — ministers

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