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 120 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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. mark — a trace
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bulb — for light
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bulb — for light
  7. track — to keep track
  8. rash — a series
  9. track — a path
  10. mark — a grade
  11. ball — a great time
  12. vault — a safe
  13. march — the month
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. perch — the fish
  19. march — the month
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. rash — hasty
  22. track — a song
  23. march — music
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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