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: bulb · bank · bat · rash · rush · bear · lash · game

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bank — for money
  7. rash — hasty
  8. bulb — for light
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rash — a series
  11. bank — for money
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. game — a match
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bear — the animal
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. bat — the animal
  24. lash — to lash out

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