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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — the fish
  5. lean — thin
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. row — to paddle
  9. lie — to recline
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. row — a line
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. wind — moving air
  21. lean — to bend
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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