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: perch · bowl · bulb · last · pop · sharp · suit · wave

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. suit — in cards
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. last — to go on
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. pop — to visit
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. suit — to fit
  12. last — finally
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. last — final
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. pop — soda
  18. sharp — clever
  19. bulb — for light
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pop — music
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — for a bird

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