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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. game — a match
  7. game — wild animals
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. mug — a cup
  16. mug — to rob
  17. bore — to drill
  18. perch — the fish
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. mug — a face
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. pass — a permit

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