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 120 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: bass · degree · rock · row · bat · fine · saw · perch

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. bass — low music
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bat — the animal
  7. degree — from a university
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. row — to paddle
  12. fine — all right
  13. perch — the fish
  14. degree — an amount
  15. row — a line
  16. rock — a stone
  17. degree — temperature
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. fine — high quality
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rock — music
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. bass — the fish

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