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 120 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: land · net · cabinet · bank · pitcher · trunk · racket · can

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bank — for money
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. can — a tin
  5. land — to come down
  6. land — ground
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. land — a country
  9. can — a tin
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. net — in sport
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. can — to be able to
  15. bank — of a river
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. net — for catching
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. net — after costs
  24. bank — for money

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