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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. perch — the fish
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. firm — decided
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. craft — a skill
  9. craft — boats
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. game — wild animals
  12. pit — a hole
  13. row — a line
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. game — a match
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. firm — steady
  20. row — to paddle
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. firm — a company

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