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: dip · can · perch · cabinet · bulb · bat · fall · bay

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. fall — to drop
  10. bat — the animal
  11. can — to be able to
  12. fall — the season
  13. fall — to drop
  14. dip — to sink
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — a tin
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. bulb — for light
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bay — a horse colour

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