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

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. bulb — for light
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bulb — for light
  10. scale — size or range
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. scale — in music
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. fall — to drop
  20. perch — the fish
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — the season
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. scale — for weighing

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