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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. court — of law
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. pit — a hole
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. court — of a king
  11. pit — in a race
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. ball — a great time
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bark — to shout
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. court — for sport
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — the fish
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ball — a round shape

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