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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. band — a ring
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. drill — a practice
  7. drill — the tool
  8. drill — army training
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. charge — a price
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. band — a music group
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. track — a path
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. charge — in control
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. charge — electricity
  22. perch — the fish
  23. track — to keep track
  24. straw — dry grass

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