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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. net — after costs
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. lie — to recline
  5. perch — the fish
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. net — in sport
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. shower — to wash
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. mark — a grade
  13. rash — a series
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. rash — hasty
  21. net — for catching
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. shower — rain
  24. mark — a trace

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