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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. scale — size or range
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. kick — in football
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. scale — in music
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. perch — the fish
  19. plane — a tool
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. branch — a division
  24. scale — for weighing

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