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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. perch — the fish
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mark — a grade
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. mark — a trace
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. wound — an injury
  10. club — a group
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. ball — a dance
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. key — for a lock
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. key — in music
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. club — for golf
  20. club — for dancing
  21. key — the most important part
  22. ball — a great time
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. wound — an injury

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