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: face · season · tube · bulb · cell · plane · perch · lean

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. lean — thin
  3. bulb — for light
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. face — to point toward
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. tube — a container
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. season — of the year
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. plane — a tool
  14. face — to confront
  15. season — in sport
  16. lean — to bend
  17. bulb — for light
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. cell — in biology
  22. face — part of the head
  23. tube — the underground
  24. cell — a phone

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