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: bulb · scale · calf · pitcher · cell · swing · perch · racket

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. bulb — for light
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. swing — to play on
  10. swing — in golf
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. perch — the fish
  13. scale — in music
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. swing — music
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. cell — in biology
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. scale — size or range

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