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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. root — the cause
  3. cue — a signal
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. cue — for pool
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. swing — music
  8. cue — a hint
  9. row — to paddle
  10. root — of a word
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. swing — in golf
  13. row — a line
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. season — in sport
  16. perch — the fish
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. root — of a plant
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. season — of the year

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