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 116 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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bear — the animal
  5. perch — the fish
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. charge — a price
  8. bear — the animal
  9. charge — electricity
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. tube — the underground
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. band — a ring
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. tube — a container
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. charge — in control
  21. band — a music group
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. straw — a straw man

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