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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. perch — the fish
  4. drill — the tool
  5. spring — of water
  6. drill — a practice
  7. last — finally
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. charge — in control
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. charge — electricity
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. last — to go on
  14. last — final
  15. chest — of your body
  16. spring — the season
  17. drill — army training
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. charge — a price
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. chest — a box
  23. spring — a coil
  24. chest — of your body

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