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 116 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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. stock — goods
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. can — a tin
  8. perch — the fish
  9. can — a tin
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. spell — letters
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. spell — magic
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — shares
  18. can — to be able to
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bat — the animal
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. chair — a leader
  24. racket — a loud noise

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