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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. can — a tin
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. perch — the fish
  5. capital — a city
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. can — a tin
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bass — the fish
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. capital — money
  21. bass — low music
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. can — to be able to
  24. perch — for a bird

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