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: bowl · trunk · can · jam · pop · bulb · rash · vault

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. rash — hasty
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bulb — for light
  6. can — to be able to
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. can — a tin
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. can — a tin
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. vault — a safe
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bulb — for light
  20. pop — to visit
  21. rash — a series
  22. pop — music
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. jam — in traffic

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