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: coach · leaves · cap · wake · current · perch · bay · band

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. current — of water
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. current — electric
  7. wake — a trail
  8. perch — the fish
  9. band — a ring
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. band — a music group
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. cap — a lid
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. cap — a hat
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. current — happening now
  24. cap — of ice

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