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: track · clip · bulb · net · craft · pit · tube · pass

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. tube — the underground
  3. clip — for paper
  4. craft — a skill
  5. track — a path
  6. pit — in a race
  7. track — a song
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. craft — boats
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. pass — a permit
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. clip — to cut
  15. track — to keep track
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. bulb — for light
  18. net — for catching
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. net — after costs
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pit — a hole
  23. clip — a video
  24. tube — a container

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