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 116 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: game · wound · perch · bulb · band · board · object · bowl

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. game — wild animals
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. object — a thing
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. object — an aim
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bulb — for light
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. perch — the fish
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. wound — an injury
  16. band — a music group
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. object — to protest
  19. board — a committee
  20. band — a ring
  21. board — to get on
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. game — a match

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