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 lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. track — a song
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. track — to keep track
  5. charge — electricity
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. charge — a price
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. track — a path
  14. bark — to shout
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. charge — in control
  22. perch — the fish
  23. sharp — clever
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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