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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. rock — a stone
  4. pass — a permit
  5. court — for sport
  6. hand — in cards
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. rock — music
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. hand — help
  12. firm — decided
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. race — humankind
  16. court — of law
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. race — the arms race
  20. court — of a king
  21. race — a contest
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. firm — steady
  24. firm — a company

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