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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — a grade
  4. present — a gift
  5. club — a group
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mate — to breed
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. spell — a short time
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. perch — the fish
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. mate — a partner
  15. present — the time now
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. club — for dancing
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. spell — magic
  21. present — there
  22. spell — letters
  23. mate — a friend
  24. dip — to sink

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