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 116 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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. object — to protest
  3. can — a tin
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — the fish
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. rock — music
  8. land — a country
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. mine — for digging
  12. object — an aim
  13. land — ground
  14. object — a thing
  15. land — to come down
  16. snap — to click
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. can — a tin
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. can — to be able to
  23. cell — in biology
  24. cell — a phone

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