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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. key — the most important part
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mark — a grade
  15. key — in music
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. key — for a lock
  19. perch — the fish
  20. mark — a trace
  21. bat — the animal
  22. mine — for digging
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. patient — a sick person

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