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: scale · mouse · bowl · game · stick · sharp · bulb · chair

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. chair — a leader
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. game — a match
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. scale — in music
  13. bulb — for light
  14. game — wild animals
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. scale — size or range
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. sharp — clever
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bulb — for light
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — the animal

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