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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. march — music
  4. lie — to recline
  5. prune — to trim
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. perch — the fish
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. charge — in control
  15. prune — to trim
  16. march — the month
  17. face — to point toward
  18. march — the month
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. face — part of the head
  21. charge — electricity
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. face — to confront
  24. perch — for a bird

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