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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. vault — a safe
  5. capital — money
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. scale — in music
  8. capital — a city
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. march — music
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. scale — size or range
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. mug — to rob
  15. perch — the fish
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. march — the month
  19. mug — a face
  20. march — the month
  21. plane — a tool
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. plane — an aircraft

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