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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. bound — obliged
  4. wound — an injury
  5. content — the amount
  6. object — a thing
  7. wound — an injury
  8. object — to protest
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. bound — certain
  12. scale — size or range
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. object — an aim
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pitch — completely
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bound — tied together
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. content — happy

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