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 · racket · rock · land · band · cue · pound · scale

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. land — to come down
  4. scale — size or range
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. cue — for pool
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. band — a music group
  9. rock — music
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. land — a country
  12. cue — a signal
  13. scale — in music
  14. rock — a stone
  15. land — ground
  16. bulb — for light
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. pound — a weight
  19. cue — a hint
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bulb — for light
  23. band — a ring
  24. bulb — of a plant

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