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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. bear — the animal
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bear — the animal
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. game — wild animals
  10. craft — a skill
  11. craft — boats
  12. pop — soda
  13. game — a match
  14. mate — to breed
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. mate — a partner
  17. lean — thin
  18. perch — the fish
  19. lean — to bend
  20. mate — a friend
  21. pop — to visit
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. pop — music
  24. bear — to put up with

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