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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. perch — the fish
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. object — an aim
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. root — the cause
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. suit — in cards
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. root — of a plant
  12. degree — an amount
  13. file — a line of people
  14. file — a tool
  15. degree — temperature
  16. file — a document
  17. degree — from a university
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — to fit
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. object — a thing
  24. root — of a word

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