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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. kid — child
  3. dip — to sink
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. drill — army training
  6. object — a thing
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rest — what's left
  9. drill — a practice
  10. ground — the earth
  11. ground — a position
  12. drill — the tool
  13. rest — what's left
  14. ground — crushed
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. rest — a break
  17. object — to protest
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. perch — the fish
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. kid — to tease
  24. object — an aim

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