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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. bank — of a river
  5. firm — steady
  6. field — a subject
  7. bear — the animal
  8. perch — the fish
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. bank — for money
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. firm — decided
  14. field — for sport
  15. firm — a company
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. row — a line
  18. field — farmland
  19. bear — the animal
  20. row — to paddle
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. scale — size or range
  23. bank — for money
  24. scale — in music

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