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

Word bank: ruler · mate · bass · cabinet · face · bulb · perch · kid

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. kid — to tease
  3. bulb — for light
  4. mate — a partner
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. face — part of the head
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. bass — low music
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. mate — to breed
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. perch — the fish
  16. face — to confront
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. face — to point toward
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bulb — for light
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. mate — a friend
  24. bass — the fish

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