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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. drill — a practice
  5. drill — the tool
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. club — for dancing
  9. bat — the animal
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. club — a group
  15. perch — the fish
  16. drill — army training
  17. bulb — for light
  18. club — for golf

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