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: pitcher · bulb · fan · wake · net · temple · pit · stick

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bulb — for light
  3. net — in sport
  4. net — after costs
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. net — for catching
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. wake — a trail
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pit — a hole
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bulb — for light
  24. pit — in a race

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