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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. object — a thing
  3. perch — the fish
  4. swing — in golf
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. swing — to play on
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. roll — a cake
  11. branch — a division
  12. pass — a permit
  13. row — a line
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. swing — music
  17. object — an aim
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. roll — a list
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. row — to paddle

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