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: dip · bank · leaves · saw · stick · land · bulb · mate

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bank — for money
  3. land — to come down
  4. bulb — for light
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. land — ground
  7. mate — a friend
  8. dip — to sink
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — the tool
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. mate — to breed
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. land — a country
  19. bulb — for light
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. bank — for money
  22. mate — a partner
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bank — of a river

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