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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bulb — for light
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. mark — a trace
  9. bass — low music
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. ground — the earth
  12. ground — a position
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bulb — for light
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. mark — a grade
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. perch — the fish
  24. hide — to keep secret

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