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: perch · straw · mate · coach · snap · chip · season · suit

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. season — of the year
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. mate — a partner
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. suit — clothes
  11. snap — to click
  12. mate — a friend
  13. chip — for betting
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. mate — to breed
  21. suit — to fit
  22. chip — to eat
  23. suit — in cards
  24. season — in sport

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