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 124 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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. club — for dancing
  3. bass — low music
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. lean — thin
  7. club — for golf
  8. charge — a price
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. prune — to trim
  12. lean — to bend
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. charge — electricity
  15. charge — in control
  16. perch — the fish
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. content — the amount
  19. prune — to trim
  20. club — a group
  21. bulb — for light
  22. content — happy
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. bass — the fish

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