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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. perch — the fish
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. fine — high quality
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. hand — help
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. wax — to grow
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. bulb — for light
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. hand — in cards

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