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 120 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: kid · saw · object · face · stand · bulb · scale · mouse

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. kid — child
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. saw — the tool
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. object — to protest
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. face — to point toward
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. saw — the tool
  13. object — an aim
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. bulb — for light
  16. scale — size or range
  17. face — part of the head
  18. stand — to bear
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. face — to confront
  21. scale — in music
  22. object — a thing
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. kid — to tease

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