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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. bear — the animal
  5. lean — to bend
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. net — in sport
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. stem — to come from
  11. cell — a phone
  12. bear — the animal
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cell — in biology
  17. net — for catching
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. lean — thin
  21. net — after costs
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. scale — size or range
  24. perch — the fish

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