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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. can — to be able to
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. cue — a signal
  6. present — the time now
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. can — a tin
  9. race — a contest
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. game — a match
  12. race — the arms race
  13. lean — to bend
  14. present — there
  15. game — wild animals
  16. cue — for pool
  17. race — humankind
  18. lean — thin
  19. cue — a hint
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. can — a tin
  23. present — a gift
  24. perch — the fish

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