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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. ball — a dance
  3. cue — a hint
  4. ball — a great time
  5. cue — for pool
  6. march — the month
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. clip — a video
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. can — a tin
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. clip — to cut
  16. march — the month
  17. perch — the fish
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. can — a tin
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. can — to be able to
  22. cue — a signal
  23. clip — for paper
  24. march — music

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