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: snap · leaves · shower · mug · bulb · tube · suit · prune

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — to fit
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. suit — clothes
  10. snap — to click
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. shower — to wash
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. mug — a cup
  15. bulb — for light
  16. prune — to trim
  17. tube — a container
  18. mug — a face
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. prune — to trim
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. mug — to rob
  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