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 120 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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — the fish
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. field — a subject
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. field — farmland
  10. stem — to come from
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. field — for sport
  16. snap — to click
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. root — the cause
  19. root — of a plant
  20. wax — to grow
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. root — of a word
  24. stem — of a plant

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