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 116 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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. tube — a container
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. march — the month
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. mate — to breed
  7. march — the month
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. perch — the fish
  11. mark — a trace
  12. bound — certain
  13. bound — tied together
  14. mate — a friend
  15. march — music
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. bound — obliged
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mark — a grade
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. pound — a weight
  23. tube — the underground
  24. pound — for dogs

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