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: perch · kick · track · fan · club · ruler · squash · mine

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. perch — the fish
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. mine — for digging
  5. track — a song
  6. track — to keep track
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. club — a group
  9. club — for dancing
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. club — for golf
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. kick — in football
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. squash — the sport
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. squash — to crush

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