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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. wake — a trail
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. fine — all right
  7. fine — high quality
  8. last — to go on
  9. perch — the fish
  10. mug — a face
  11. mug — to rob
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. last — finally
  14. bulb — for light
  15. degree — temperature
  16. bulb — for light
  17. mug — a cup
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. degree — from a university
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. degree — an amount
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. mouse — the animal

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