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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. deal — to handle
  3. pass — a permit
  4. spring — a coil
  5. mug — a face
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. race — humankind
  9. season — of the year
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. race — a contest
  12. spring — the season
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. spring — of water
  16. race — the arms race
  17. mug — a cup
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. board — a committee
  20. season — in sport
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. board — to get on
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. mug — to rob

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