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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. land — to come down
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. perch — the fish
  6. roll — a cake
  7. tube — the underground
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. season — of the year
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. land — ground
  15. suit — to fit
  16. land — a country
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. roll — a list
  20. suit — in cards
  21. tube — a container
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. season — in sport
  24. chair — a leader

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