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: hide · fork · perch · staff · march · leaves · pop · mark

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. mark — a grade
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. perch — the fish
  7. pop — soda
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. march — the month
  12. pop — to visit
  13. staff — employees
  14. march — music
  15. staff — employees
  16. mark — a trace
  17. fork — in a road
  18. march — the month
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. staff — a stick

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