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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. firm — steady
  5. swing — in golf
  6. wind — moving air
  7. firm — a company
  8. swing — music
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. wind — moving air
  11. firm — decided
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. bound — tied together
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bound — obliged
  17. sharp — clever
  18. swing — to play on
  19. perch — the fish
  20. prune — to trim
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. bound — certain
  23. row — a line
  24. sharp — with an edge

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