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 120 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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. stock — goods
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. wax — to grow
  13. stock — shares
  14. saw — the tool
  15. tube — a container
  16. saw — the tool
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. tube — the underground
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. perch — the fish
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. trunk — of a tree

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