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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. present — a gift
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. fall — to drop
  5. pop — music
  6. pop — soda
  7. perch — the fish
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. track — a song
  11. fall — the season
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. track — to keep track
  14. season — in sport
  15. track — a path
  16. fall — to drop
  17. pop — to visit
  18. foot — a measure
  19. rush — hurry
  20. season — of the year
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. present — the time now
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. present — there

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