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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. cue — a signal
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. mark — a grade
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. cue — for pool
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. bat — the animal
  14. stand — to bear
  15. cue — a hint
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. row — to paddle
  18. mark — a trace
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. row — a line
  23. perch — the fish
  24. rush — hurry

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