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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. rock — music
  4. mug — to rob
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. mug — a face
  7. rest — a break
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. last — final
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rock — a stone
  14. kick — in football
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. perch — the fish
  17. wake — a trail
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. last — finally
  20. rest — what's left
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. last — to go on
  23. mug — a cup
  24. rock — to move gently

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