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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. bear — the animal
  3. spell — letters
  4. rock — music
  5. perch — the fish
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. bear — the animal
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. scale — in music
  13. spell — magic
  14. rock — a stone
  15. spell — a short time
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. pound — a weight
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rush — hurry

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