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: tube · snap · perch · fall · drill · bulb · mouse · foot

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. fall — to drop
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. snap — to click
  5. fall — the season
  6. drill — a practice
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. drill — the tool
  9. drill — army training
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. foot — a measure
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. tube — a container
  18. perch — the fish
  19. fall — to drop
  20. tube — the underground
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. perch — for a bird

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