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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. charge — electricity
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. ball — a dance
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. deal — to handle
  13. bark — to shout
  14. charge — a price
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. charge — in control
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pitch — completely
  20. perch — the fish
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. squash — the sport
  23. squash — to crush
  24. arm — a part of something

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