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: jam · net · bound · straw · bulb · bowl · race · bass

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. net — for catching
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bound — obliged
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. bulb — for light
  8. net — after costs
  9. race — the arms race
  10. net — in sport
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. bass — low music
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. race — a contest
  15. bound — certain
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bound — tied together
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. race — humankind
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bass — the instrument

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