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 116 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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. ball — a dance
  4. rest — what's left
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. dip — to sink
  8. tear — to rip
  9. tear — from crying
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. rest — what's left
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. ball — a great time
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — the fish
  22. rest — a break
  23. tear — from crying
  24. leaves — lets stay

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