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 116 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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. wind — moving air
  3. bank — of a river
  4. march — music
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. march — the month
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. root — of a word
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bank — for money
  11. root — of a plant
  12. wind — moving air
  13. bank — for money
  14. bear — the animal
  15. perch — the fish
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. root — the cause
  19. bear — the animal
  20. march — the month
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. cell — a phone
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. cell — in biology

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