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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. face — part of the head
  8. bass — low music
  9. bound — certain
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bound — tied together
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bass — the fish
  15. band — a ring
  16. perch — the fish
  17. roll — a cake
  18. face — to point toward
  19. roll — a list
  20. mark — a grade
  21. face — to confront
  22. mark — a trace
  23. band — a music group
  24. bound — obliged

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