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: suit · bulb · fall · nail · cabinet · bark · shower · track

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. fall — the season
  5. shower — rain
  6. track — a song
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fall — to drop
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. suit — in cards
  15. shower — to wash
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. track — a path
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — to fit
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. track — to keep track
  23. bark — to shout
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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