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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. season — in sport
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. drill — the tool
  6. net — in sport
  7. pit — a hole
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pit — in a race
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. net — for catching
  17. squash — to crush
  18. perch — the fish
  19. drill — army training
  20. squash — the sport
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. season — of the year
  23. net — after costs
  24. drill — a practice

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