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 120 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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. present — there
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rest — what's left
  5. chip — for betting
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. wound — an injury
  9. present — a gift
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. cap — a lid
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. present — the time now
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. wound — an injury
  17. chip — to eat
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. rest — what's left
  20. cap — of ice
  21. cap — a hat
  22. perch — the fish
  23. pass — a permit
  24. safe — a strongbox

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