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: bulb · fall · drill · dip · bank · wind · mouse · content

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fall — the season
  3. dip — to sink
  4. content — the amount
  5. drill — army training
  6. bank — of a river
  7. wind — moving air
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bank — for money
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bank — for money
  12. drill — the tool
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. drill — a practice
  18. wind — moving air
  19. content — happy
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bulb — for light

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