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: tear · track · bat · suit · arm · craft · net · bulb

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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. bat — for baseball
  4. tear — from crying
  5. bulb — for light
  6. net — after costs
  7. suit — to fit
  8. net — for catching
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. tear — to rip
  12. craft — a skill
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. track — to keep track
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — boats
  17. track — a path
  18. suit — clothes
  19. tear — from crying
  20. bulb — for light
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. track — a song
  24. bat — the animal

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