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: bulb · face · club · scale · perch · staff · stock · fan

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. club — for golf
  3. staff — employees
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. staff — employees
  7. scale — size or range
  8. staff — a stick
  9. bulb — for light
  10. perch — the fish
  11. stock — shares
  12. bulb — for light
  13. stock — goods
  14. face — to point toward
  15. face — part of the head
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. face — to confront
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. club — for dancing
  24. club — a group

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