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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. band — a music group
  3. charge — electricity
  4. stem — to come from
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. perch — the fish
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. dip — to sink
  10. bulb — for light
  11. band — a ring
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bulb — for light
  14. charge — in control
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. swing — music
  17. swing — to play on
  18. swing — in golf
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. charge — a price
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. mouse — for a computer
  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