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: row · fall · perch · mark · march · saw · cap · wave

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cap — of ice
  7. saw — the tool
  8. fall — to drop
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mark — a trace
  11. row — a line
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — the fish
  14. march — music
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. march — the month
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. fall — the season
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. row — to paddle
  22. fall — to drop
  23. march — the month
  24. cap — a hat

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