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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. game — wild animals
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. scale — in music
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. game — a match
  8. track — a song
  9. track — a path
  10. pass — a permit
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. cue — for pool
  14. stock — shares
  15. track — to keep track
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. cue — a hint
  19. scale — size or range
  20. rock — a stone
  21. cue — a signal
  22. stock — goods
  23. perch — the fish
  24. perch — for a bird

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