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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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. bark — of a tree
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. face — to confront
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. face — part of the head
  9. spell — letters
  10. toast — bread
  11. spell — magic
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. face — to point toward
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. spell — a short time
  22. bark — to shout
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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