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: perch · pit · bulb · field · row · cue · squash · pass

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. pass — a permit
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. squash — the sport
  6. perch — the fish
  7. pit — in a race
  8. bulb — for light
  9. row — a line
  10. field — a subject
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. row — to paddle
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. field — for sport
  17. cue — for pool
  18. squash — to crush
  19. cue — a hint
  20. bulb — for light
  21. cue — a signal
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. field — farmland

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