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: spring · present · hide · club · pitcher · mug · leaves · perch

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. present — there
  5. perch — the fish
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. present — the time now
  9. mug — to rob
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. spring — the season
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. spring — a coil
  14. spring — of water
  15. club — for golf
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. club — a group
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. club — for dancing
  22. present — a gift
  23. mug — a cup
  24. mug — a face

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