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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bound — tied together
  5. cap — a hat
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. bound — certain
  8. bulb — for light
  9. cap — a lid
  10. chip — for betting
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. scale — in music
  13. chair — a leader
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. scale — size or range
  18. chip — to eat
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. dip — to sink
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. cap — of ice

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