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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. fine — high quality
  4. spring — the season
  5. prune — to trim
  6. game — a match
  7. spring — of water
  8. fine — all right
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. spring — a coil
  11. lie — to recline
  12. game — wild animals
  13. charge — in control
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. staff — a stick
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. charge — electricity
  18. staff — employees
  19. prune — to trim
  20. perch — the fish
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. charge — a price
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. staff — employees

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