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 116 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: pitcher · perch · cue · bowl · bear · pop · land · bat

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. cue — for pool
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. land — to come down
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. bat — the animal
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. pop — soda
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. cue — a hint
  11. pop — music
  12. bear — the animal
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. cue — a signal
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. perch — the fish
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. land — ground
  24. pop — to visit

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