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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. key — in music
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. key — for a lock
  5. race — a contest
  6. spell — magic
  7. perch — the fish
  8. race — the arms race
  9. race — humankind
  10. firm — steady
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. key — the most important part
  15. sharp — clever
  16. firm — decided
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. firm — a company
  20. spell — letters
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. spell — a short time
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bark — to shout

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