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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. club — for golf
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. perch — the fish
  9. kick — in football
  10. dip — to sink
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. club — for dancing
  14. spell — a short time
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. spell — magic
  19. club — a group
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. spell — letters
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — a part of something

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