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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — a company
  6. root — the cause
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. root — of a plant
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. rash — a series
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. rash — hasty
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. firm — decided
  19. root — of a word
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. patient — a sick person

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