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: object · bulb · fall · rash · tube · arm · pit · ball

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. tube — a container
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bulb — for light
  5. tube — the underground
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. fall — to drop
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. fall — the season
  11. rash — hasty
  12. object — a thing
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. pit — a hole
  16. object — to protest
  17. rash — a series
  18. object — an aim
  19. pit — in a race
  20. ball — a great time
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. bulb — for light
  24. ball — a dance

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