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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. march — the month
  5. stand — to bear
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. row — a line
  9. cap — a lid
  10. march — the month
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. march — music
  14. cap — a hat
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. cap — of ice
  17. perch — the fish
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. row — to paddle
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — of the sea

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