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: wake · scale · band · present · mate · lash · can · bulb

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. can — a tin
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. present — there
  8. bulb — for light
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. mate — a friend
  12. mate — a partner
  13. scale — in music
  14. can — a tin
  15. scale — size or range
  16. present — a gift
  17. present — the time now
  18. wake — a trail
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. band — a ring
  21. band — a music group
  22. can — to be able to
  23. mate — to breed
  24. scale — for weighing

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