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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. shower — rain
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. firm — steady
  5. perch — the fish
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. roll — a cake
  10. firm — a company
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. board — to get on
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. firm — decided
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. shower — to wash
  23. board — a committee
  24. roll — on a roll

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