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 116 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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bear — the animal
  3. can — a tin
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bear — the animal
  9. perch — the fish
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. root — the cause
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. root — of a plant
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. root — of a word

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