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: bulb · snap · cue · fall · ruler · scale · bat · bass

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bass — low music
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. cue — a hint
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bat — the animal
  9. scale — size or range
  10. cue — for pool
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. scale — in music
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bass — the fish
  16. fall — the season
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. cue — a signal
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. fall — to drop
  24. snap — to click

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