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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. drill — a practice
  6. pop — soda
  7. pop — to visit
  8. drill — army training
  9. drill — the tool
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a trace
  16. pop — music
  17. squash — the sport
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. perch — the fish
  20. squash — to crush
  21. vault — a safe
  22. mark — a grade
  23. fork — in a road
  24. lash — an eyelash

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