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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. suit — clothes
  3. perch — the fish
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. bass — low music
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. cap — a lid
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. cap — a hat
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. cap — of ice
  16. pitch — completely
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. wake — a trail
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. game — a match
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. suit — in cards
  23. bass — the fish
  24. suit — to fit

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