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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — the fish
  4. last — final
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. lean — thin
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. last — to go on
  14. bass — the fish
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. lean — to bend
  21. last — finally
  22. bass — low music
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. dip — to sink

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