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 ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. row — a line
  4. pop — to visit
  5. wound — an injury
  6. cue — a hint
  7. perch — the fish
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. cue — for pool
  10. fall — to drop
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. pop — music
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. fall — to drop
  18. row — to paddle
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. cue — a signal
  21. fall — the season
  22. pop — soda
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — for tennis

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