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: sharp · mine · fan · bear · cabinet · bulb · lean · net

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. mine — for digging
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bulb — for light
  7. net — in sport
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bear — the animal
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. lean — to bend
  16. net — for catching
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. net — after costs
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. sharp — clever
  23. lean — thin
  24. bulb — for light

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