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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. swing — in golf
  4. vault — a safe
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. mate — a partner
  7. swing — music
  8. bass — low music
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bass — the fish
  11. swing — to play on
  12. perch — the fish
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. mate — to breed
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. snap — to click
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. mate — a friend
  20. wound — an injury
  21. season — in sport
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. season — of the year

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