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 120 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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. tube — a container
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. tube — the underground
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. chair — a leader
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. cue — a hint
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. perch — the fish
  15. mark — a grade
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. mark — a trace
  19. cue — a signal
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cue — for pool

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