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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. staff — employees
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. roll — a cake
  5. tube — a container
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. swing — in golf
  9. roll — a list
  10. perch — the fish
  11. foot — a measure
  12. cap — a hat
  13. staff — a stick
  14. cap — of ice
  15. cap — a lid
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. swing — to play on
  22. tube — the underground
  23. staff — employees
  24. foot — the bottom

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