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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. press — to push
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. press — a publisher
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. bulb — for light
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. perch — the fish
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bat — the animal
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. press — newspapers
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. racket — a loud noise

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