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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. perch — the fish
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. board — to get on
  8. pop — soda
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. swing — in golf
  11. current — electric
  12. current — happening now
  13. net — for catching
  14. net — after costs
  15. pop — music
  16. current — of water
  17. swing — to play on
  18. pop — to visit
  19. board — a committee
  20. lie — to recline
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. net — in sport
  24. swing — music

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