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 · pitcher · racket · lie · bear · jam · calf · land

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bulb — for light
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. bear — the animal
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. bear — the animal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. land — to come down
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. lie — to recline
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. land — a country
  23. land — ground
  24. lie — an untruth

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