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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. rock — music
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. hand — in cards
  13. perch — the fish
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. scale — in music
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. rock — a stone
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. scale — size or range
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. hand — help
  24. pitcher — a jug

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