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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. cue — for pool
  3. net — for catching
  4. perch — the fish
  5. suit — in cards
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. net — after costs
  9. suit — to fit
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — to trim
  12. net — in sport
  13. cue — a hint
  14. tear — to rip
  15. cue — a signal
  16. tear — from crying
  17. suit — clothes
  18. 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