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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. mine — for digging
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. scale — in music
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. scale — size or range
  17. hand — in cards
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. perch — the fish
  20. hand — help
  21. dip — to sink
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — for a bird

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