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: stick · pit · cabinet · perch · suit · bulb · fan · vault

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. vault — a safe
  5. suit — to fit
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. suit — clothes
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bulb — for light
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bulb — for light
  19. perch — the fish
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. pit — in a race
  24. cabinet — ministers

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