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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. bound — tied together
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. mate — a friend
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. perch — the fish
  10. scale — size or range
  11. scale — in music
  12. mark — a trace
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. fork — in a road
  15. mate — a partner
  16. bound — obliged
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. bound — certain
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. mate — to breed
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. coach — a trainer

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