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: ruler · object · bulb · perch · bat · track · band · capital

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. bulb — for light
  3. track — a song
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. track — a path
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. perch — the fish
  10. object — a thing
  11. capital — money
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. object — an aim
  14. capital — a city
  15. band — a ring
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. object — to protest
  21. track — to keep track
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. bat — the animal
  24. capital — a big letter

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