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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — of ice
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. object — an aim
  7. present — a gift
  8. cap — a hat
  9. object — to protest
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. rule — a law
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. perch — the fish
  17. object — a thing
  18. present — the time now
  19. bear — the animal
  20. rash — a series
  21. rule — government
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. present — there
  24. rash — hasty

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