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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mug · calf · bulb · roll · swing · perch

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bulb — for light
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. roll — a list
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. swing — to play on
  9. perch — the fish
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bulb — for light
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mug — a face
  15. swing — music
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. roll — a cake
  18. swing — in golf

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