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: bat · charge · squash · ruler · bulb · perch · arm · stick

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. squash — to crush
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — in control
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bat — the animal
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. perch — the fish
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — for light
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. squash — the sport
  24. charge — electricity

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