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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. capital — money
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. shower — to wash
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. capital — a city
  14. shower — rain
  15. perch — the fish
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. dip — to sink
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. kid — child
  22. squash — to crush
  23. squash — the sport
  24. kid — to tease

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