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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. rest — what's left
  3. perch — the fish
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. last — to go on
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. key — the most important part
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. wound — an injury
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. race — humankind
  13. last — finally
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. rest — a break
  16. wound — an injury
  17. date — the fruit
  18. last — final
  19. race — a contest
  20. key — in music
  21. race — the arms race
  22. key — for a lock
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. rest — what's left

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