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 116 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: object · pitch · safe · bay · hand · perch · scale · clip

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. clip — a video
  4. object — to protest
  5. scale — size or range
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. clip — to cut
  11. object — a thing
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. clip — for paper
  14. scale — in music
  15. perch — the fish
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. hand — in cards
  18. pitch — completely
  19. hand — help
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. object — an aim

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