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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. key — for a lock
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. perch — the fish
  6. staff — a stick
  7. lean — to bend
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. staff — employees
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. chair — a leader
  13. lean — thin
  14. drill — the tool
  15. key — in music
  16. key — the most important part
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. drill — a practice
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. drill — army training
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. staff — employees

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