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: bore · court · mug · perch · firm · saw · rock · jam

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. saw — the tool
  4. rock — a stone
  5. saw — the tool
  6. court — of law
  7. mug — a cup
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — music
  10. mug — a face
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bore — to tire
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. perch — the fish
  15. court — for sport
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. firm — a company
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. firm — steady
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. mug — to rob
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. court — of a king

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