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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. track — a path
  4. drill — the tool
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. drill — a practice
  8. drill — army training
  9. net — in sport
  10. track — a song
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. net — for catching
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. rash — hasty
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. net — after costs
  19. track — to keep track
  20. rash — a series
  21. lie — to recline
  22. perch — the fish
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. pound — a weight

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