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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. wind — moving air
  3. track — a path
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. perch — the fish
  6. land — to come down
  7. bulb — for light
  8. land — a country
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. chest — of your body
  11. land — ground
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. chest — of your body
  14. bulb — for light
  15. track — a song
  16. wind — moving air
  17. fork — in a road
  18. chest — a box
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. track — to keep track
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. perch — for a bird

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