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: degree · can · mark · arm · nail · bulb · perch · hide

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. can — a tin
  7. mark — a trace
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. perch — the fish
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. degree — temperature
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. can — a tin
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. degree — from a university
  20. can — to be able to
  21. mark — a grade
  22. degree — an amount
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. perch — for a bird

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