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: charge · track · tear · safe · cue · club · perch · tube

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. cue — a signal
  3. tear — from crying
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. tube — the underground
  7. charge — electricity
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. club — for dancing
  10. club — for golf
  11. tear — from crying
  12. cue — for pool
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. perch — the fish
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. cue — a hint
  17. track — a song
  18. tube — a container
  19. tear — to rip
  20. charge — a price
  21. track — a path
  22. track — to keep track
  23. charge — in control
  24. club — a group

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