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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. net — in sport
  3. perch — the fish
  4. net — for catching
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. mine — for digging
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. bulb — for light
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. mate — to breed
  12. bore — to drill
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. net — after costs
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. mate — a partner
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — to fit
  19. bore — to tire
  20. wake — a trail
  21. suit — in cards
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bulb — for light
  24. mate — a friend

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