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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. perch — the fish
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. cap — a hat
  5. roll — a list
  6. pop — to visit
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. pop — music
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — to bear
  12. can — to be able to
  13. pop — soda
  14. can — a tin
  15. saw — the tool
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. can — a tin
  20. cap — of ice
  21. saw — the tool
  22. roll — a cake
  23. bear — the animal
  24. cap — a lid

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