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 · stand · roll · mark · season · mate · rule · dip

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. season — in sport
  3. dip — to sink
  4. stand — to bear
  5. roll — a cake
  6. perch — the fish
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mate — a friend
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. season — of the year
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. roll — a list
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. mark — a trace
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. rule — a law
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mate — a partner
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. mark — a grade

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