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: toast · row · plane · perch · fine · bat · court · safe

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. court — of law
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. toast — bread
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. fine — high quality
  9. court — for sport
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. row — a line
  12. court — of a king
  13. plane — a tool
  14. perch — the fish
  15. bat — the animal
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. fine — all right
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. row — to paddle
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. safe — out of danger

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