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: pitcher · wind · present · perch · foot · mug · pop · club

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. club — for dancing
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. perch — the fish
  5. present — there
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. club — for golf
  8. mug — a cup
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. wind — moving air
  11. foot — a measure
  12. mug — a face
  13. pop — soda
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. wind — moving air
  18. present — a gift
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. mug — to rob
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. pop — music
  23. pop — to visit
  24. club — a group

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