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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. bear — the animal
  6. firm — steady
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. key — for a lock
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. firm — decided
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. perch — the fish
  15. bear — the animal
  16. firm — a company
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. mine — for digging
  19. pitch — completely
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. key — the most important part
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. ball — a great time
  24. key — in music

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