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: perch · board · scale · spell · mug · bat · bear · cap

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. spell — letters
  4. cap — of ice
  5. cap — a hat
  6. bear — the animal
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. bear — the animal
  9. scale — size or range
  10. mug — a cup
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. cap — a lid
  13. mug — a face
  14. spell — magic
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. perch — the fish
  18. board — a committee
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. scale — in music
  21. mug — to rob
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. spell — a short time
  24. board — to get on

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