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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. suit — clothes
  11. game — wild animals
  12. suit — in cards
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. game — a match
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. perch — the fish
  22. suit — to fit
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. jam — a tight spot

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