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 116 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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. spell — a short time
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. tear — from crying
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. fall — to drop
  7. chip — for betting
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. fall — the season
  10. dip — to sink
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. spell — magic
  15. perch — the fish
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. firm — a company
  18. fall — to drop
  19. firm — steady
  20. firm — decided
  21. tear — to rip
  22. tear — from crying
  23. chip — to eat
  24. spell — letters

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