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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. drill — army training
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bat — the animal
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. rest — a break
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. drill — a practice
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. bass — low music
  15. drill — the tool
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bass — the fish
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. rest — what's left

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