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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. firm — decided
  4. club — for dancing
  5. perch — the fish
  6. club — for golf
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. pass — a permit
  13. firm — steady
  14. track — a song
  15. charge — a price
  16. wound — an injury
  17. track — a path
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. charge — electricity
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. club — a group
  22. track — to keep track
  23. firm — a company
  24. charge — in control

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