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

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  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. perch — for a bird
  2. lean — to bend
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. fork — in a road
  6. object — an aim
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. object — to protest
  9. pass — a permit
  10. season — of the year
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. lean — thin
  15. season — in sport
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. object — a thing
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. wax — to grow
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. leaves — lets stay
  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