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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. branch — a division
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. cold — not warm
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. charge — electricity
  12. cold — an illness
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. charge — in control
  15. charge — a price
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. plane — a tool
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. perch — the fish

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