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: hide · cue · scale · race · perch · roll · bound · root

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. root — of a plant
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. race — the arms race
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. perch — the fish
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cue — a hint
  10. race — a contest
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. roll — a list
  14. bound — certain
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. cue — a signal
  17. scale — in music
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. root — of a word
  20. bound — obliged
  21. root — the cause
  22. bound — tied together
  23. scale — size or range
  24. roll — a cake

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