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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. mark — a grade
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. sharp — clever
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. club — a group
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. chair — a leader
  13. shower — to wash
  14. perch — the fish
  15. mark — a trace
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. club — for dancing
  19. shower — rain
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. club — for golf
  22. kick — in football
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. sharp — exactly

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