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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. kick — in football
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. perch — the fish
  6. last — to go on
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. rock — a stone
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. lie — to recline
  15. last — final
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. rock — music
  19. last — finally
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. club — a group
  23. dip — to sink
  24. club — for golf

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