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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  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. scale — size or range
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. charge — electricity
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. suit — clothes
  10. charge — in control
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. scale — in music
  16. stem — to come from
  17. wind — moving air
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. charge — a price
  22. wind — moving air
  23. perch — for a bird
  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