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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. wind — moving air
  3. bat — the animal
  4. track — to keep track
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. vault — a safe
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. suit — clothes
  12. track — a path
  13. scale — size or range
  14. bulb — for light
  15. track — a song
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — in cards
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. wind — moving air
  20. scale — in music
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. perch — the fish

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