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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. march — music
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. staff — employees
  7. root — of a plant
  8. staff — a stick
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. march — the month
  12. staff — employees
  13. fall — to drop
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. root — the cause
  17. root — of a word
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. march — the month
  20. bore — to drill
  21. fall — the season
  22. fall — to drop
  23. perch — the fish
  24. bore — to tire

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