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: lie · band · cap · land · object · perch · ruler · content

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. content — happy
  4. land — ground
  5. band — a music group
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. cap — a lid
  8. cap — a hat
  9. content — the amount
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. land — a country
  15. band — a ring
  16. land — to come down
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. object — an aim
  19. cap — of ice
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. object — to protest
  22. object — a thing
  23. perch — the fish
  24. lie — to recline

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