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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — all right
  4. mark — a grade
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — clothes
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. suit — to fit
  13. mark — a trace
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. foot — a measure
  16. sharp — clever
  17. fine — high quality
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. calf — of the leg

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