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: bulb · racket · bank · straw · land · cabinet · saw · leaves

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. bank — for money
  6. land — ground
  7. saw — the tool
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bulb — for light
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. saw — the tool
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. bank — of a river
  15. land — to come down
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. land — a country
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bank — for money
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. leaves — to go away

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