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: safe · cap · roll · pop · perch · stand · hide · dip

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. cap — of ice
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. pop — to visit
  10. stand — to bear
  11. roll — a cake
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cap — a lid
  14. roll — a list
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. pop — music
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. pop — soda
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. dip — to sink
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. perch — the fish

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