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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. ball — a dance
  4. perch — the fish
  5. ball — a great time
  6. row — a line
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. club — for dancing
  9. stock — shares
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. club — a group
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. toast — bread
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. stock — goods
  19. row — to paddle
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. club — for golf
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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