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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. perch — the fish
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. pass — a permit
  5. fall — the season
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. net — in sport
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. mark — a trace
  10. kick — in football
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. fall — to drop
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. mark — a grade
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. fall — to drop
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. net — after costs
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. net — for catching
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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