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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. land — ground
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. cue — a signal
  5. perch — the fish
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. cue — a hint
  9. march — the month
  10. track — a path
  11. track — to keep track
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. land — a country
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. cue — for pool
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. march — the month
  18. track — a song
  19. roll — a cake
  20. vault — a safe
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. roll — a list
  23. snap — to click
  24. march — music

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