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 120 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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. ball — a great time
  4. wake — a trail
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. perch — the fish
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. vault — a safe
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. drill — army training
  15. fine — all right
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. fine — high quality
  18. drill — the tool
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. chair — a leader
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. drill — a practice

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