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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. chip — to eat
  3. roll — a cake
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. cue — for pool
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. face — to point toward
  10. perch — the fish
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. chip — for betting
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. spell — a short time
  17. roll — a list
  18. spell — letters
  19. cue — a hint
  20. spell — magic
  21. face — to confront
  22. face — part of the head
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. cue — a signal

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