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 116 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: trunk · fan · straw · mine · present · can · vault · bulb

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. present — a gift
  4. mine — for digging
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. vault — a safe
  10. can — to be able to
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. can — a tin
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. can — a tin
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. present — the time now
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. present — there
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. bulb — for light
  24. mine — an explosive

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