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 116 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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. bulb — for light
  3. last — to go on
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. net — for catching
  6. bank — for money
  7. board — a committee
  8. last — finally
  9. bank — for money
  10. last — final
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bank — of a river
  13. present — a gift
  14. present — the time now
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. bulb — for light
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cap — a lid
  19. net — in sport
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — the fish
  22. cap — of ice
  23. net — after costs
  24. board — to get on

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