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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — the fish
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. craft — a skill
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. tube — a container
  9. swing — in golf
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. craft — boats
  12. cell — in biology
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fall — the season
  15. cell — a phone
  16. swing — to play on
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. fall — to drop
  20. tube — the underground
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. swing — music

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