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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. staff — a stick
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. track — a song
  7. staff — employees
  8. track — to keep track
  9. wind — moving air
  10. rest — what's left
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. staff — employees
  13. rest — what's left
  14. pitch — completely
  15. track — a path
  16. mug — a cup
  17. perch — the fish
  18. mug — to rob
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. wind — moving air
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. mug — a face

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