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: bear · bulb · bank · spell · fall · racket · club · tube

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. spell — a short time
  3. fall — the season
  4. bank — for money
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. tube — a container
  7. club — for dancing
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bank — of a river
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bear — the animal
  12. spell — magic
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. club — a group
  15. bear — the animal
  16. tube — the underground
  17. bulb — for light
  18. spell — letters
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. club — for golf
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bank — for money

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