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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. spell — a short time
  4. wound — an injury
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. spell — magic
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. swing — to play on
  11. bear — the animal
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. plane — a tool
  15. wound — an injury
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. vault — a safe
  18. perch — the fish
  19. bear — the animal
  20. rock — a stone
  21. rock — music
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. swing — in golf
  24. spell — letters

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