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: spell · roll · rock · cabinet · ball · bulb · tube · perch

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. tube — a container
  3. tube — the underground
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. spell — magic
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — for light
  12. spell — letters
  13. rock — a stone
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. roll — a cake
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — the fish
  18. ball — a dance
  19. roll — a list
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. spell — a short time
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. ball — a great time

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