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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. march — the month
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. court — of law
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. mug — a cup
  7. court — for sport
  8. march — music
  9. march — the month
  10. firm — decided
  11. shower — rain
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. firm — steady
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — the fish
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. firm — a company
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. mug — a face
  21. mug — to rob
  22. court — of a king
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. shower — to wash

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