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 · bowl · date · press · vault · bark · pit · game

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bark — to shout
  7. game — a match
  8. press — newspapers
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. pit — in a race
  13. vault — a safe
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bulb — for light
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pit — a hole
  20. date — the fruit
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. press — to push
  24. press — a publisher

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