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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. kick — in football
  3. dip — to sink
  4. march — the month
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. swing — music
  12. perch — the fish
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. wake — a trail
  15. march — the month
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. march — music
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. swing — to play on
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. swing — in golf
  24. kick — a thrill

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