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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. stem — to come from
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. roll — a cake
  7. swing — music
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. mark — a trace
  15. snap — to click
  16. perch — the fish
  17. roll — a list
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. swing — in golf
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. swing — to play on
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a grade

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