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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. suit — to fit
  3. cap — a hat
  4. pop — music
  5. fall — to drop
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. row — to paddle
  8. suit — clothes
  9. fall — to drop
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. cap — a lid
  12. pop — to visit
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. fall — the season
  16. wind — moving air
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. row — a line
  19. suit — in cards
  20. pop — soda
  21. perch — the fish
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. cap — of ice
  24. wind — moving air

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