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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. cue — for pool
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. perch — the fish
  6. toast — bread
  7. rest — what's left
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. dip — to sink
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. court — of a king
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. rest — a break
  14. wind — moving air
  15. pit — in a race
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. cue — a signal
  18. rest — what's left
  19. cue — a hint
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. court — for sport
  22. wind — moving air
  23. court — of law
  24. pit — a hole

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