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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. capital — money
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. saw — the tool
  9. toast — bread
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. capital — a city
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. rash — hasty
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. saw — the tool
  16. stem — to come from
  17. bear — the animal
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rash — a series
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. rush — hurry
  22. bear — the animal
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. rush — a thrill

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