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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. lean — to bend
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. perch — the fish
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. drill — army training
  9. firm — steady
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — of a plant
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. scale — in music
  14. drill — the tool
  15. scale — size or range
  16. drill — a practice
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. lean — thin
  19. firm — a company
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. root — the cause
  22. firm — decided
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — for measuring

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