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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. pop — music
  3. squash — to crush
  4. wax — to grow
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. perch — the fish
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. vault — a safe
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. dip — to sink
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pop — to visit
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. pop — soda
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. squash — the sport

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