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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. spell — letters
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. fork — in a road
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. bank — for money
  10. spell — a short time
  11. bound — certain
  12. cold — not warm
  13. bound — tied together
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bank — of a river
  17. suit — to fit
  18. bank — for money
  19. perch — the fish
  20. cold — an illness
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — in cards
  23. bound — obliged
  24. spell — magic

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