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: bulb · shower · race · cap · tube · fan · coach · cabinet

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bulb — for light
  3. shower — to wash
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. tube — a container
  6. bulb — for light
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. tube — the underground
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. race — a contest
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. cap — a hat
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. cap — of ice
  21. cap — a lid
  22. race — humankind
  23. race — the arms race
  24. shower — rain

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