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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — in music
  3. foot — a measure
  4. fork — in a road
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. mine — for digging
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. bound — obliged
  11. root — of a plant
  12. root — the cause
  13. perch — the fish
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. bound — tied together
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. root — of a word
  19. scale — size or range
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. bound — certain
  23. sharp — clever
  24. mine — belonging to me

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