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 common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bore — to tire
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. degree — from a university
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. degree — temperature
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. degree — an amount
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. object — an aim
  13. bore — to drill
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. object — a thing
  17. face — to point toward
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. object — to protest
  24. face — to confront

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