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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. band — a music group
  7. cue — a signal
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. spring — the season
  12. branch — a division
  13. cue — for pool
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. spring — of water
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. band — a ring
  19. cue — a hint
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. perch — the fish
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. sharp — clever
  24. spring — a coil

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