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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. fall — to drop
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. cue — a hint
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. craft — a skill
  12. craft — boats
  13. prune — to trim
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. perch — the fish
  16. fall — the season
  17. cue — a signal
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. prune — to trim
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. fall — to drop
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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