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 116 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: rule · wave · suit · band · net · trunk · bulb · press

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. suit — in cards
  3. net — after costs
  4. rule — government
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. press — newspapers
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. press — a publisher
  10. band — a ring
  11. bulb — for light
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. net — for catching
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rule — a law
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. press — to push
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. suit — clothes
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. band — a music group

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