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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. land — ground
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. lie — to recline
  7. land — a country
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. bark — to shout
  13. swing — to play on
  14. swing — music
  15. land — to come down
  16. saw — the tool
  17. rock — music
  18. perch — the fish
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. date — the fruit
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. swing — in golf
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. date — on the calendar

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