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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. root — of a word
  3. rest — what's left
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. rest — what's left
  6. suit — clothes
  7. scale — in music
  8. scale — size or range
  9. bound — obliged
  10. root — the cause
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. land — a country
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bound — tied together
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bound — certain
  20. land — ground
  21. root — of a plant
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. perch — the fish
  24. rest — a break

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