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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. bulb — for light
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. ball — a great time
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. sharp — clever
  9. stock — goods
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. stock — shares
  14. ball — a dance
  15. charge — electricity
  16. deal — to handle
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. charge — in control
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. perch — the fish

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