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

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. tear — from crying
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. pound — a weight
  5. craft — boats
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. key — for a lock
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. rock — music
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. key — the most important part
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. key — in music
  16. tear — from crying
  17. rock — a stone
  18. tear — to rip
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. craft — a skill
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. perch — the fish
  24. perch — for a bird

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