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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. spell — magic
  4. cue — a hint
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. cue — a signal
  7. fine — all right
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. rock — music
  10. fine — high quality
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. rock — a stone
  13. pitch — completely
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. ground — crushed
  16. spell — a short time
  17. ground — the earth
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. perch — the fish
  20. ground — a position
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. spell — letters
  23. kick — in football
  24. cue — for pool

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