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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. mark — a trace
  4. spring — of water
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. spring — a coil
  7. fine — high quality
  8. rock — music
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. spring — the season
  11. perch — the fish
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rock — a stone
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. rash — a series
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fine — all right
  21. mark — a grade
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. rash — hasty

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