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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: squash · suit · perch · chair · dip · land

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. perch — the fish
  3. suit — clothes
  4. land — ground
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. squash — the sport
  10. land — a country
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. squash — to crush
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. chair — a leader
  18. dip — to sink

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