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: march · craft · bank · pit · cue · bulb · ball · lash

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bank — for money
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. craft — a skill
  7. march — the month
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. ball — a great time
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pit — in a race
  12. cue — for pool
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cue — a hint
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bank — for money
  18. march — the month
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. ball — a dance
  24. march — music

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