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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. key — the most important part
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. cap — a hat
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. mug — a face
  9. wound — an injury
  10. ball — a great time
  11. perch — the fish
  12. cap — a lid
  13. mug — a cup
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. cap — of ice
  17. key — for a lock
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. wound — an injury
  20. key — in music
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. mug — to rob
  24. jam — a tight spot

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