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: fan · tube · swing · bulb · ruler · cell · lie · trunk

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. tube — a container
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. swing — to play on
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. cell — a phone
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. swing — music
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. cell — in biology
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. swing — in golf
  22. lie — to recline
  23. bulb — for light
  24. tube — the underground

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