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've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. mark — a grade
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. mark — a trace
  5. wound — an injury
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bound — certain
  9. bound — tied together
  10. spell — letters
  11. game — a match
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. perch — the fish
  15. spell — magic
  16. rock — music
  17. game — wild animals
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. wound — an injury
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. mark — to pay attention

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