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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. squash — to crush
  6. bear — the animal
  7. spell — magic
  8. spell — a short time
  9. bear — the animal
  10. mate — a partner
  11. squash — the sport
  12. mate — a friend
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. perch — the fish
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. game — wild animals
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. game — a match
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. spell — letters

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