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 120 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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. drill — army training
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. drill — a practice
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. fine — all right
  8. bass — the fish
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. shower — rain
  11. drill — the tool
  12. firm — a company
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — the fish
  16. shower — to wash
  17. firm — decided
  18. fine — high quality
  19. bass — low music
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. firm — steady
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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