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: wake · perch · capital · firm · track · scale · bound · jam

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — the fish
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bound — tied together
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. wake — a trail
  7. track — a song
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. bound — obliged
  10. capital — money
  11. track — to keep track
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. track — a path
  15. bound — certain
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. scale — in music
  18. firm — steady
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. capital — a city
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. firm — decided
  23. scale — size or range
  24. firm — a company

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