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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. stock — goods
  4. perch — the fish
  5. key — for a lock
  6. clip — a video
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. file — a tool
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — in football
  11. key — in music
  12. clip — for paper
  13. mark — a grade
  14. stand — to bear
  15. file — a document
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. stock — shares
  18. key — the most important part
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. mark — a trace
  22. file — a line of people
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. clip — to cut

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