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: can · pit · ball · fan · bulb · kid · leaves · game

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. kid — child
  5. bulb — for light
  6. can — to be able to
  7. ball — a great time
  8. kid — to tease
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bulb — for light
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. game — wild animals
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. can — a tin
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. game — a match
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. can — a tin
  24. ball — a round shape

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