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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. season — of the year
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. fall — the season
  5. ground — the earth
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bass — the fish
  9. ground — crushed
  10. ground — a position
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. charge — electricity
  13. row — to paddle
  14. fall — to drop
  15. row — a line
  16. charge — in control
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. charge — a price
  19. perch — the fish
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. season — in sport
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. bass — low music
  24. bass — the instrument

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