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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. sharp — clever
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. bulb — for light
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. pit — a hole
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bulb — for light
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. pit — in a race
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. wound — an injury
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. bank — for money
  18. bass — the fish
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bass — low music
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — of a river
  24. wound — an injury

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