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: bank · bulb · spell · cold · toast · cue · net · jam

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bulb — for light
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. cue — a hint
  5. net — after costs
  6. spell — magic
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. cue — for pool
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. cue — a signal
  12. spell — a short time
  13. spell — letters
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. bank — for money
  16. cold — not warm
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. toast — bread
  19. bulb — for light
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. bank — of a river
  22. net — for catching
  23. net — in sport
  24. cold — an illness

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