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 116 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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. current — happening now
  5. wind — moving air
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. fall — to drop
  8. net — in sport
  9. net — for catching
  10. fall — the season
  11. can — to be able to
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. fall — to drop
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. net — after costs
  16. perch — the fish
  17. current — of water
  18. wind — moving air
  19. can — a tin
  20. bass — low music
  21. current — electric
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. can — a tin
  24. bass — the fish

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