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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. mark — a grade
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. perch — the fish
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. mark — a trace
  9. band — a ring
  10. pit — in a race
  11. track — to keep track
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. track — a song
  14. band — a music group
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. bore — to drill
  19. ball — a great time
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. bore — to tire
  22. ball — a dance
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. track — a path

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