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: swing · prune · vault · shower · bulb · leaves · hand · net

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. net — in sport
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. swing — music
  8. shower — to wash
  9. bulb — for light
  10. swing — to play on
  11. swing — in golf
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. hand — help
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. prune — to trim
  17. shower — rain
  18. prune — to trim
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. net — after costs
  21. bulb — for light
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. vault — a safe
  24. hand — in cards

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