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 · nail · net · pit · stock · tube · club · march

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. tube — a container
  3. march — music
  4. pit — in a race
  5. club — for dancing
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. net — after costs
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. club — a group
  12. club — for golf
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. net — for catching
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — for light
  17. stock — goods
  18. net — in sport
  19. stock — shares
  20. tube — the underground
  21. pit — a hole
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. march — the month

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