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: perch · coach · charge · shower · cue · pit · present · temple

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. cue — a signal
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. charge — in control
  8. present — there
  9. cue — for pool
  10. shower — rain
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. pit — in a race
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. shower — to wash
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. perch — the fish
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. present — the time now
  22. cue — a hint
  23. charge — electricity
  24. charge — a price

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