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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — the fish
  4. last — finally
  5. board — to get on
  6. last — to go on
  7. press — newspapers
  8. cap — a hat
  9. press — a publisher
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. press — to push
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. cold — not warm
  14. last — final
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. rock — a stone
  17. cold — an illness
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. board — a committee
  21. cap — a lid
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. rock — music
  24. rock — to move gently

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