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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. cap — of ice
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. lie — to recline
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. bat — the animal
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. branch — a division
  20. pitch — completely
  21. cap — a hat
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. cap — a lid

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