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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. fall — the season
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. land — to come down
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. fall — to drop
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. fall — to drop
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — the fish
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. land — ground
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. vault — a safe
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. land — a country
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. stem — to come from
  24. temple — side of the head

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