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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bore — to drill
  3. perch — the fish
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. net — in sport
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. rest — a break
  12. net — for catching
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. scale — size or range
  15. fork — in a road
  16. bore — to tire
  17. foot — a measure
  18. net — after costs
  19. rest — what's left
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. scale — in music
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. rest — what's left

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