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 116 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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. march — music
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. pit — in a race
  6. row — a line
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. march — the month
  9. mug — a face
  10. row — to paddle
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. firm — a company
  15. firm — decided
  16. pit — a hole
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mug — to rob
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. march — the month
  23. firm — steady
  24. perch — the fish

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