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: net · fork · race · branch · suit · bulb · deal · bear

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. race — a contest
  3. net — in sport
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. branch — a division
  7. suit — to fit
  8. net — after costs
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bear — the animal
  13. deal — to handle
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. fork — in a road
  16. race — the arms race
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bulb — for light
  23. suit — clothes
  24. race — humankind

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