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: kid · deal · perch · fall · content · bowl · pass · season

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. content — the amount
  3. fall — to drop
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. season — of the year
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. fall — to drop
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. kid — child
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. pass — a permit
  18. fall — the season
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. content — happy
  21. kid — to tease
  22. season — in sport
  23. deal — to handle
  24. perch — for a bird

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