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 124 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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. vault — a safe
  4. season — in sport
  5. charge — in control
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. object — to protest
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. object — an aim
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. wound — an injury
  12. season — of the year
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. charge — electricity
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. wound — an injury
  18. perch — the fish
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. rock — music
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. object — a thing
  23. rock — a stone
  24. charge — a price

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