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 116 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: bat · perch · squash · bowl · wake · fork · kick · ruler

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. squash — the sport
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. perch — the fish
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. kick — in football
  13. squash — to crush
  14. bat — the animal
  15. fork — in a road
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. wake — a trail

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