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 120 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: wave · track · perch · march · row · charge · ground · object

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. march — the month
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. ground — the earth
  6. row — a line
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. object — to protest
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. track — a song
  11. track — to keep track
  12. object — an aim
  13. object — a thing
  14. perch — the fish
  15. charge — electricity
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. ground — a position
  18. charge — a price
  19. charge — in control
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. row — to paddle
  22. ground — crushed
  23. track — a path
  24. march — music

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