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: stem · perch · leaves · pass · file · mark · bulb · bear

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. file — a tool
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. perch — the fish
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bulb — for light
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. bear — the animal
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. mark — a grade
  16. bulb — for light
  17. stem — to come from
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. file — a line of people
  20. pass — a permit
  21. mark — a trace
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. bear — the animal
  24. file — a document

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