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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. rock — music
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. swing — to play on
  7. face — to point toward
  8. snap — to click
  9. perch — the fish
  10. race — a contest
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. face — to confront
  13. craft — boats
  14. swing — music
  15. craft — a skill
  16. race — humankind
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. rock — a stone
  20. face — part of the head
  21. race — the arms race
  22. swing — in golf
  23. stand — to bear
  24. stand — on your feet

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