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: net · key · bulb · pitcher · drill · current · arm · fan

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. drill — the tool
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. net — for catching
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. current — electric
  10. key — the most important part
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. current — happening now
  13. net — after costs
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. drill — a practice
  16. key — in music
  17. drill — army training
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. current — of water
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bulb — for light
  23. key — for a lock
  24. net — in sport

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