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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. spell — magic
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. lie — to recline
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. chest — of your body
  9. file — a line of people
  10. chest — a box
  11. spell — letters
  12. file — a tool
  13. rock — a stone
  14. bore — to drill
  15. rock — music
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. spell — a short time
  19. bore — to tire
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. file — a document
  22. chest — of your body
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bore — gave birth

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