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: fan · saw · mate · board · lash · court · bulb · mark

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. board — a committee
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. saw — the tool
  6. court — for sport
  7. mate — a friend
  8. court — of a king
  9. bulb — for light
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. saw — the tool
  12. board — to get on
  13. bulb — for light
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mate — to breed
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. court — of law
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. mate — a partner
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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