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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. perch — the fish
  3. mark — a trace
  4. scale — in music
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. mark — a grade
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. mate — a partner
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bat — the animal
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. bore — to tire
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. scale — size or range
  17. bore — to drill
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mate — a friend

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