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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. cap — of ice
  3. bound — obliged
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — the season
  6. firm — a company
  7. kid — child
  8. fall — to drop
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. bound — certain
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. kick — in football
  14. firm — steady
  15. cap — a hat
  16. cap — a lid
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. firm — decided
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. perch — the fish
  21. bound — tied together
  22. wake — a trail
  23. kid — to tease
  24. kick — a thrill

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