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 · racket · mate · safe · hide · ball · band · kick

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. ball — a dance
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. mate — a partner
  6. kick — in football
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. mate — to breed
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. band — a music group
  15. ball — a great time
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. band — a ring
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. perch — the fish
  20. mate — a friend
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. racket — for tennis

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