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: root · pit · rule · perch · clip · can · rock · safe

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — the fish
  3. root — of a word
  4. rule — a law
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. can — a tin
  9. rock — music
  10. root — the cause
  11. pit — a hole
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. can — to be able to
  14. root — of a plant
  15. clip — a video
  16. pit — in a race
  17. rule — government
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. clip — to cut
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. clip — for paper
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. can — a tin
  24. rock — a stone

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