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 116 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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bark — to shout
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bass — low music
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. perch — the fish
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. season — of the year
  17. object — a thing
  18. band — a ring
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. band — a music group
  21. object — to protest
  22. season — in sport
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. racket — for tennis

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