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: rule · mark · spell · kick · fine · perch · wake · cap

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. fine — high quality
  4. cap — of ice
  5. perch — the fish
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. wake — a trail
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. cap — a hat
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — letters
  15. cap — a lid
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. spell — magic
  18. rule — government
  19. fine — all right
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. mark — a trace
  22. rule — a law
  23. mark — a grade
  24. kick — in football

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