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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. march — music
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. march — the month
  6. perch — the fish
  7. march — the month
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. content — the amount
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mate — a friend
  12. bass — the fish
  13. pop — soda
  14. rash — hasty
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. rash — a series
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. foot — a measure
  19. pop — to visit
  20. bass — low music
  21. content — happy
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. pop — music
  24. foot — the bottom

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