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: content · bulb · ball · bank · staff · saw · squash · race

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. ball — a great time
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — employees
  5. bank — for money
  6. saw — the tool
  7. squash — to crush
  8. content — the amount
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. bank — for money
  11. squash — the sport
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. bulb — for light
  14. ball — a dance
  15. staff — a stick
  16. bulb — for light
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. saw — the tool
  19. content — happy
  20. bank — of a river
  21. race — the arms race
  22. race — humankind
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. race — a contest

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