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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. row — to paddle
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. perch — the fish
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. game — a match
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. row — a line
  13. suit — in cards
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. fork — in a road
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. suit — clothes
  19. game — wild animals
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. pound — a weight
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. suit — to fit

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