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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. perch — the fish
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. roll — a list
  5. branch — a division
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. pop — music
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. sharp — clever
  15. roll — a cake
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pit — in a race
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. pop — to visit
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. pit — a hole
  24. branch — of a tree

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