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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. pitch — completely
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. stock — goods
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. perch — the fish
  17. stock — shares
  18. prune — to trim
  19. mug — a cup
  20. prune — to trim
  21. date — the fruit
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. mug — to rob

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