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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. bulb — for light
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. perch — the fish
  8. object — a thing
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. capital — a city
  11. capital — money
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. object — an aim
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. craft — boats
  21. bulb — for light
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. object — to protest
  24. craft — a skill

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