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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. spring — a coil
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. rock — music
  7. row — to paddle
  8. drill — the tool
  9. cap — of ice
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. perch — the fish
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. rush — hurry
  14. cap — a hat
  15. rock — a stone
  16. row — a line
  17. spring — of water
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. drill — a practice
  21. drill — army training
  22. fork — in a road
  23. cap — a lid
  24. rush — to hurry

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