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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. charge — in control
  6. lie — to recline
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. present — there
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. scale — in music
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. charge — electricity
  14. tube — the underground
  15. present — a gift
  16. tube — a container
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. perch — the fish
  19. present — the time now
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. scale — size or range
  22. charge — a price
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. snap — to click

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