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: rock · leaves · lie · bulb · rush · saw · nail · net

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. net — after costs
  3. net — in sport
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. rush — hurry
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. net — for catching
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bulb — for light
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. rock — music
  15. rock — a stone
  16. saw — the tool
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. saw — the tool
  19. lie — to recline
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. nail — on a finger

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