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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. saw — the tool
  10. scale — size or range
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. ball — a great time
  13. squash — the sport
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. squash — to crush
  16. track — a song
  17. bulb — for light
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. wind — moving air
  20. saw — the tool
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. track — to keep track
  23. track — a path
  24. wind — moving air

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