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: wake · pound · bowl · board · arm · perch · snap · bulb

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. board — to get on
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. board — a committee
  8. bulb — for light
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. snap — to click
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. perch — the fish
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. wake — a trail
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. pound — a weight
  24. perch — for a bird

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