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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. pop — soda
  3. spring — a coil
  4. spring — the season
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. spring — of water
  9. swing — in golf
  10. charge — electricity
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. perch — the fish
  16. swing — music
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. pop — music
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. charge — in control
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pound — a weight
  23. charge — a price
  24. temple — a place of worship

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