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

Word bank: scale · bark · pitcher · mate · can · swing · perch · foot

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. swing — to play on
  4. perch — the fish
  5. can — to be able to
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. swing — music
  8. mate — a partner
  9. mate — a friend
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. foot — a measure
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. scale — size or range
  14. swing — in golf
  15. mate — to breed
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. can — a tin
  19. scale — in music
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. can — a tin
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. bark — to shout

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