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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. club — a group
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. spell — letters
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. pop — soda
  7. cap — a lid
  8. band — a ring
  9. club — for golf
  10. cue — for pool
  11. spell — a short time
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. pop — to visit
  14. cap — of ice
  15. rock — a stone
  16. cue — a signal
  17. spell — magic
  18. band — a music group
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. pop — music
  21. club — for dancing
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cue — a hint
  24. perch — the fish

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