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: firm · toast · pop · perch · rock · game · trunk · face

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. firm — a company
  3. face — to confront
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. rock — a stone
  6. pop — soda
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. pop — to visit
  10. face — to point toward
  11. face — part of the head
  12. firm — steady
  13. game — a match
  14. rock — music
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. perch — the fish
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. firm — decided
  21. game — wild animals
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. toast — bread
  24. perch — for a bird

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