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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a great time
  3. suit — in cards
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. stock — shares
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. stock — goods
  10. ball — a dance
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. perch — the fish
  14. suit — clothes
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. suit — to fit
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. mine — for digging

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