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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. can — a tin
  4. object — an aim
  5. band — a ring
  6. perch — the fish
  7. can — to be able to
  8. kid — child
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. march — music
  12. march — the month
  13. kid — to tease
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. object — to protest
  19. object — a thing
  20. can — a tin
  21. march — the month
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. band — a music group
  24. band — a rubber band

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