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: pop · bulb · firm · craft · pound · kid · date · perch

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. pop — soda
  4. kid — to tease
  5. bulb — for light
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. date — the fruit
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. craft — boats
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. kid — child
  12. pop — to visit
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pound — a weight
  16. perch — the fish
  17. firm — steady
  18. firm — decided
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. firm — a company
  22. pop — music
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. date — on the calendar

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