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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. staff — employees
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. cap — a hat
  8. shower — rain
  9. firm — steady
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. toast — bread
  13. perch — the fish
  14. staff — a stick
  15. cap — of ice
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. cap — a lid
  19. staff — employees
  20. shower — to wash
  21. firm — decided
  22. firm — a company
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — an injury

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