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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. fall — the season
  3. net — for catching
  4. mark — a trace
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. craft — a skill
  10. mark — a grade
  11. bore — to tire
  12. craft — boats
  13. rule — a law
  14. fall — to drop
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bore — to drill
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. net — in sport
  20. perch — the fish
  21. net — after costs
  22. rule — government
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bore — gave birth

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