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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. rest — a break
  3. perch — the fish
  4. wind — moving air
  5. cue — a hint
  6. fork — in a road
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. last — finally
  9. rest — what's left
  10. last — to go on
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. cue — a signal
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. last — final
  21. rest — what's left
  22. wind — moving air
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. cue — for pool

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