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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. track — a song
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. perch — the fish
  7. wake — a trail
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. present — the time now
  10. foot — a measure
  11. saw — the tool
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. track — a path
  14. present — a gift
  15. season — in sport
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. track — to keep track
  20. saw — the tool
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. season — of the year
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. present — there

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