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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  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 — a stone
  2. cap — a lid
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cap — a hat
  5. row — a line
  6. scale — in music
  7. clip — to cut
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. clip — a video
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. cap — of ice
  14. row — to paddle
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. cue — a hint
  17. clip — for paper
  18. rock — music
  19. scale — size or range
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. cue — a signal
  22. perch — for a bird
  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