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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. date — the fruit
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. stock — shares
  9. fall — to drop
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. stock — goods
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. fall — the season
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. band — a ring
  21. fall — to drop
  22. band — a music group
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. date — on the calendar

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