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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  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. suit — to fit
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. hand — help
  4. row — a line
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. perch — the fish
  8. face — part of the head
  9. game — a match
  10. game — wild animals
  11. mug — to rob
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. season — of the year
  14. suit — clothes
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. face — to point toward
  17. mug — a cup
  18. face — to confront
  19. suit — in cards
  20. hand — in cards
  21. row — to paddle
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. season — in sport
  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