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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. tear — from crying
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bulb — for light
  6. court — of law
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. bulb — for light
  12. court — of a king
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. game — wild animals
  15. court — for sport
  16. key — for a lock
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. perch — the fish
  19. key — the most important part
  20. key — in music
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. tear — to rip
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. game — a match

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