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: pit · file · fan · bulb · nail · spring · suit · bark

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pit — in a race
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. file — a document
  8. spring — the season
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. suit — in cards
  11. spring — a coil
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. suit — clothes
  15. spring — of water
  16. file — a line of people
  17. file — a tool
  18. pit — a hole
  19. bark — to shout
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. suit — to fit
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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