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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. perch — the fish
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. lie — to recline
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. chair — a leader
  12. pass — a permit
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. squash — the sport
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pound — a weight
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. season — of the year
  22. squash — to crush
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. season — in sport

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