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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bass — low music
  10. object — a thing
  11. object — an aim
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. date — the fruit
  15. wind — moving air
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. bass — the fish
  23. perch — the fish
  24. object — to protest

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