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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. root — of a plant
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. pass — a permit
  9. perch — the fish
  10. scale — in music
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. root — of a word
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. rule — government
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wound — an injury
  20. scale — size or range
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. rule — a law
  24. root — the cause

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