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: bulb · shower · bank · perch · bowl · fine · scale · pitcher

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. scale — size or range
  5. perch — the fish
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bank — of a river
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bank — for money
  12. shower — rain
  13. fine — high quality
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. shower — to wash
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bank — for money
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. scale — in music
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. fine — all right

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