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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. deal — to handle
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — for money
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. mark — a trace
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. bank — of a river
  19. dip — to sink
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — the fish
  24. mouse — the animal

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