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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. scale — in music
  3. mug — a cup
  4. kick — in football
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. dip — to sink
  8. march — the month
  9. firm — decided
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. firm — steady
  14. scale — size or range
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. mug — to rob
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. march — music
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. march — the month
  22. lie — to recline
  23. firm — a company
  24. mug — a face

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