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: pound · bass · stem · cabinet · hide · perch · bound · bulb

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. bound — obliged
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. pound — a weight
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bass — the fish
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bound — certain
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bound — tied together
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. perch — the fish
  21. stem — to come from
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bulb — for light
  24. hide — to keep secret

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