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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. present — there
  3. present — the time now
  4. swing — music
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. kick — in football
  7. swing — to play on
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. present — a gift
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. root — the cause
  13. pit — a hole
  14. root — of a word
  15. spell — a short time
  16. root — of a plant
  17. rash — a series
  18. rash — hasty
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. swing — in golf
  21. pit — in a race
  22. perch — the fish
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. spell — magic

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