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: present · bulb · net · stem · clip · swing · leaves · craft

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. bulb — for light
  3. present — the time now
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. swing — in golf
  7. net — in sport
  8. net — for catching
  9. craft — boats
  10. stem — to come from
  11. clip — for paper
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. clip — to cut
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. swing — to play on
  16. craft — a skill
  17. swing — music
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. clip — a video
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. bulb — for light
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. present — a gift
  24. net — after costs

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