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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rash — a series
  8. chip — to eat
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. rash — hasty
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. chip — for betting
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. perch — the fish
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. stem — to come from
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. wind — moving air
  24. arm — a part of something

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