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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. tube — a container
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — the fish
  5. root — the cause
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. court — of a king
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. tube — the underground
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. cap — a lid
  15. root — of a plant
  16. root — of a word
  17. court — of law
  18. cap — of ice
  19. cap — a hat
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. court — for sport
  22. hand — help
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. hand — in cards

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