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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. charge — in control
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. scale — in music
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. deal — to handle
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. prune — to trim
  12. charge — electricity
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. prune — to trim
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. perch — the fish
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. charge — a price
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. scale — size or range
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. pass — a permit

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