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 ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. pit — a hole
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. rest — a break
  10. pop — to visit
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. pop — soda
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. perch — the fish
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. plane — a tool
  18. squash — the sport
  19. rest — what's left
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. pop — music
  22. squash — to crush
  23. pit — in a race
  24. racket — for tennis

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