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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. root — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. chest — of your body
  5. bulb — for light
  6. rock — music
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. rock — a stone
  9. root — of a word
  10. content — the amount
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pop — soda
  17. chest — of your body
  18. content — happy
  19. pop — music
  20. pop — to visit
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. perch — the fish
  23. root — the cause
  24. pitcher — a jug

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