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: leaves · ball · perch · cold · bulb · season · bowl · suit

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. cold — not warm
  4. cold — an illness
  5. bulb — for light
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. suit — in cards
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. suit — clothes
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. perch — the fish
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. bulb — for light
  20. season — of the year
  21. suit — to fit
  22. ball — a dance
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. season — in sport

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