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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. swing — music
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. season — in sport
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. bulb — for light
  9. swing — to play on
  10. toast — bread
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. bulb — for light
  17. season — of the year
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. lie — to recline
  22. swing — in golf
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. lie — an untruth

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