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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bank — for money
  5. march — the month
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. bank — of a river
  8. saw — the tool
  9. land — a country
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. land — to come down
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. land — ground
  16. rush — hurry
  17. scale — size or range
  18. saw — the tool
  19. march — music
  20. perch — the fish
  21. march — the month
  22. scale — in music
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bank — for money

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