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 120 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've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. chest — of your body
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pop — music
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. chest — of your body
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. kid — to tease
  11. perch — the fish
  12. mark — a trace
  13. kid — child
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a grade
  17. pop — soda
  18. rock — a stone
  19. chest — a box
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. lie — to recline
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. rock — music
  24. lie — an untruth

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