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: cell · scale · bulb · coach · ball · fork · bat · arm

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. ball — a great time
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. ball — a dance
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. bat — the animal
  10. fork — in a road
  11. cell — a phone
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. scale — size or range
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. scale — in music
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. fork — a garden tool

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