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: cabinet · net · can · hide · clip · bulb · fall · degree

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. clip — a video
  3. fall — the season
  4. bulb — for light
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — to drop
  10. clip — for paper
  11. degree — from a university
  12. bulb — for light
  13. net — after costs
  14. clip — to cut
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. net — in sport
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. can — to be able to
  19. degree — an amount
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. can — a tin
  22. degree — temperature
  23. can — a tin
  24. net — for catching

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