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: key · cabinet · mine · leaves · bay · stick · roll · bulb

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bulb — for light
  5. key — in music
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. key — the most important part
  8. roll — a list
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. mine — for digging
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. key — for a lock
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. roll — a cake

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