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 120 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: temple · fork · mark · leaves · pass · perch · court · squash

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. squash — to crush
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. fork — in a road
  8. perch — the fish
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. court — for sport
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. pass — a permit
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. squash — the sport
  19. court — of a king
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. court — of law
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. mark — a trace
  24. mark — a grade

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