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 120 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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. pop — soda
  8. tube — a container
  9. row — to paddle
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. pop — music
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. tube — the underground
  15. object — to protest
  16. pop — to visit
  17. object — an aim
  18. object — a thing
  19. current — happening now
  20. current — of water
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. current — electric
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. row — a line

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