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: mug · board · track · pitch · face · capital · perch · jam

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. face — part of the head
  3. track — to keep track
  4. pitch — completely
  5. perch — the fish
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. track — a song
  9. face — to point toward
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. board — to get on
  12. capital — money
  13. track — a path
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. board — a committee
  16. mug — to rob
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. capital — a city
  19. face — to confront
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. mug — a face
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. mug — a cup

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