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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. swing — in golf
  5. swing — to play on
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. season — in sport
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. race — the arms race
  13. race — humankind
  14. perch — the fish
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. cap — of ice
  17. cap — a lid
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. race — a contest
  21. swing — music
  22. season — of the year
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. cap — a hat

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