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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pop — to visit
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. pop — soda
  6. can — a tin
  7. firm — decided
  8. ball — a great time
  9. game — a match
  10. can — a tin
  11. game — wild animals
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. pop — music
  16. ball — a dance
  17. march — the month
  18. perch — the fish
  19. firm — a company
  20. firm — steady
  21. lie — to recline
  22. can — to be able to
  23. march — music
  24. march — the month

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