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 120 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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. cue — a signal
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rock — a stone
  7. cue — a hint
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. stock — goods
  13. field — a subject
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. field — for sport
  18. field — farmland
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stock — shares
  21. rash — a series
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. rock — music
  24. cue — for pool

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