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 116 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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — the fish
  3. key — the most important part
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. track — to keep track
  7. prune — to trim
  8. snap — to click
  9. track — a path
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. key — in music
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. chip — to eat
  17. key — for a lock
  18. rule — a law
  19. rule — government
  20. chip — for betting
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. track — a song
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. prune — to trim

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