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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. perch — the fish
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. lean — to bend
  10. fine — high quality
  11. bass — low music
  12. bass — the fish
  13. pit — a hole
  14. lean — thin
  15. pit — in a race
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. fine — all right
  18. lean — to rest against

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