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: tube · fine · staff · lash · bulb · net · cabinet · hand

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. net — for catching
  3. fine — all right
  4. hand — help
  5. bulb — for light
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. staff — employees
  8. net — after costs
  9. tube — a container
  10. tube — the underground
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. staff — a stick
  16. bulb — for light
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. fine — high quality
  21. staff — employees
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. hand — in cards
  24. net — in sport

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