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: pit · bulb · calf · lie · bear · game · march · perch

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. game — wild animals
  5. bulb — for light
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. game — a match
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. pit — a hole
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bulb — for light
  15. march — music
  16. march — the month
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. perch — the fish
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. march — the month
  23. bear — the animal
  24. lie — to recline

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